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RESUME

NICHOLAS PALMER, CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR

ORCHESTRAS

Duxbury Music Festival Orchestra, (MA); Conductor, 2010-

Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, (IN); Music Director, 2007-
   Increased balanced budget by 25%
   Increased concerts from 7 to 13, including outdoor Pops and Jeans and Classics
   Increased Endowment balance to 4X orchestra budget
   Added 10 members to string section
   Increased orchestra members pay by 30%
   Quadrupled number of education programs
   Initiated NPR broadcasts of each concert
   Initiated Composer-in-Residence program

Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, (KY); Music Director, 1998-
   Increased balanced budget by 100%
   Increased concerts from 10 to 20
   Increased season tickets by 40%
   Initiated and assisted in $1.6 million renovation project and move to Owensboro Symphony Academy
   Initiated 20 new educational programs
   Founded Owensboro Symphony Chorus in 1999
   Recognized for innovative educational programs by League of American Orchestras
   Conducted tours and run out concerts throughout region
   Commissioned many new works including from Pulitzer Prize winner V. Paul Moravec
   Conducted orchestra on 6 CD recordings

Evening Under the Stars Music Festival Orchestra, (MA); Conductor, 1996-
   Founding conductor of multi-concert summer music festival
   Increased number of concert venues
   Added both classical and Pops concerts to season

Altoona Symphony Orchestra, (PA); Conductor Laureate, 2007-
Music Director, 1996-2007
   Conducted orchestra at Kennedy Center
   Added outdoor Pops Concerts to orchestra schedule
   Initiated Symphony Chorus
   Conducted orchestra's CD recordings in 1997 and 2001
   Founded Altoona Symphony Chorus in 1996
   Initiated many new educational programs
   Selected for ASOL Leadership Seminar in 2004
   Initiated 4 year Composer-in-Residence program
   Commissioned 12 new works during tenure

Nashville Ballet, Nashville Symphony, (TN); Music Director, 2000-2004

Oshkosh Symphony, (WI); Artistic Advisor, 2000-2002

Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, (IA); Music Director, 1986-1999
Artistic Advisor, 2000-2002
   Initiated "Arts Trek" program with area cultural organizations
   Increased budget by 500%
   Increased concerts from 6 to 30
   Added many new education programs
   Performed as Orchestra-in-Residence for the International Dvorak Festival
   Conducted orchestra's CD recordings in 1994 and 1999
   Selected as Dubuque "Person of the Year" in 1989, 1994
   Won Helen M. Thompson Award from the American Symphony Orchestra League in 1990
   Founded Dubuque Symphony Chorus in 1986
   Founded summer Arboretum Concert series in 1989
   Initiated Composer-in-Residence program in 1989

Heartland Ballet, (IA); Music Director, 1988-1999
   Increased companies repertory to include full-length ballets with orchestra
   Secured ongoing funding for only ballet company performing with professional orchestra in the state of Iowa

Clinton Symphony Orchestra, (IA); Music Director, 1988-1997
   Increased season subscriptions by 100%
   Increased budget by 120%
   Increased orchestra pay by 300%
   Increased number of concerts from 4 to 8 per season

Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; Assistant Conductor
   Conducted 40 - 50 concerts per season
   Founded Florida Contemporary Ensemble
   Initiated highly successful educational concerts for Elementary, Junior High and High School students

Florida Contemporary Ensemble; Founder/Music Director
   Founder of first professional ensemble devoted to 20th Century Music in Florida
   Presented World Premiere performances in each concert

Brunswick Civic Orchestra (GA); Music Director

Jacksonville Youth Orchestra; Music Director

GUEST CONDUCTING

Jacksonville Symphony, 2006, 2009, (2011) (15 concerts total)
Tucson Symphony, 2007 (3 concerts)
National Orchestra of Moldova, 2007
Glacier Symphony, 2007
Lafayette Symphony, 2007
Milano Classico Orchestra, 2006
Virginia Symphony, 2005
Europa Philharmonie, 2005
Northwest Symphony, 2004
Great Falls Symphony, 2003
Orchestra Sinfonica di San Remo, 2002
Santa Barbara Symphony, 2001
Billings Symphony, 2001
Nashville Symphony, (Music Director of Nashville Ballet), 2000-2004
Louisville Orchestra, 2000
Mesa Symphony, 2000
Czech Radio Orchestra, Czech Republic, 1998
Owensboro Symphony, (KY), 1998
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, (IA), 1998
Quad Cities Symphony, (IA), 1997
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, 1996
Boulder Philharmonic, 1996
Idaho Falls Symphony and Ballet, 1995
West Bohemia Symphony, Czech Republic, 1995
Springfield Symphony Orchestra, (MO), 1995
New Hampshire Philharmonic, (NH), 1993
Penns Woods Festival Orchestra, (PA), 1992
Naples Philharmonic, (FL), 1991
Sterling Festival Orchestra, (IL), 1990, 1991
ORM (Lausanne Symphony Orchestra), Switzerland, 1990
Greenville Symphony Orchestra, (SC)
Huntsville Symphony, (AL)
Flagstaff Symphony, (AZ)
Chicago Sinfonietta
Sophia Symphony

OPERA

Kentucky Opera/Owensboro Symphony, Louisville, KY; Barber of Seville (2010) Madama Butterfly
University of Kentucky Opera Theater, Lexington, KY; La Boheme, Opera Gala
Chicago Light Opera Works, Evanston, IL; The Grand Duke
Jacksonville Opera, Jacksonville, FL; Tosca
Cavaleria Rusticana, Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Goldovsky Opera Workshop; Amelia al Ballo, La Boheme
Harvard University Opera, Lowell House; La Perichole, L'Elisir d'Amore, Die Fledermaus
Boston Summer Opera Theater, Barber of Seville
Harvard Summer Opera/Theater, Don Giovanni
Hasty Pudding Theatricals, Cambridge, MA; A Little Knife Music
American Opera Center, Julliard School; La Rondine, Assistant
Conductor
Harvard Gilbert and Sullivan Society; H.M.S Pinafore

EDUCATION

University of Iowa; D.M.A. degree in Orchestral Conducting
New England Conservatory of Music; M.M. degree in Orchestral Conducting
Longy School; solfege and ear training
Julliard School; ear training, opera coaching and conducting
Harvard University; A.B. degree, cum laude, in Musical Composition and Theory, minor in Italian

AWARDS

Helen Thompson Award from the League of American Orchestras: outstanding young music director
Mayor’s Certificate of Appreciation; Owensboro, KY
Mayor's Key to the City; Owensboro, KY
Senate Proclamation; State of KY
Senate Appreciation; Commonwealth of PA
House of Representatives Recognition; Commonwealth of PA
Person of year; (2 times) Dubuque, IA
League of American Orchestras; Innovative Education Award and Showcase
Kennedy Center; Innovative Education Award

CONDUCTING STUDY

James Dixon, University of Iowa
Gunther Schuller, Festival at Sandpoint
Paul Vermel, Aspen Music School
Franco Ferrara and Carlo Maria Giulini, Accademia Chigana; Siena, Italy
Boris Goldovsky, Goldovsky Opera Workshop
Richard Pittman, New England Conservatory of Music
Laszlo Halasz, Juilliard School
Charles Bruck, Pierre Monteux Domaine School
Thomas Everett, Harvard University
Frank Battisti, New England Conservatory of Music