About the Maestro

Nicholas Palmer, in his 10th Season and Music Director of the Owensboro Symphony, has been widely recognized for his compelling performances and emotional connection to audiences and is regarded as one of the most talented conductors on the scene today. His strong commitment to education and building new audiences has garnered him much praise.

Nicholas is also the new Music Director of the Lafayette (IN) Symphony, chosen this season after a highly competitive search and is in his 12th season as Music Director of the Evening Under the Stars Music Festival in Massachusetts. Palmer was a recipient of the Helen M. Thompson Award from the American Symphony Orchestra League as the nation's most outstanding young music director.

Under Nicholas Palmer’s leadership the OSO has developed one of the nation’s leading education programs with over 25 different series for young people and adults. New and innovative programs such as Arts Teach Kids concerts, Sounds of the Symphony, Backstage with the Symphony, Symphony Safari, Classic Encounters, Family Cushion Concerts, Concert Curators, as well as private and class musical instruction at the OSO Academy have brought classical music to thousands of new people.

The OSO’s remarkably high artistic level has been widely praised: “The Owensboro Symphony, under the direction of Nicholas Palmer, showed why they have been getting rave reviews” (Cincinnati Post). The extensive tours and outreach of the Owensboro Symphony, with artists such as LeAnne Rimes, Dionne Warwick and Anne Murray and well as its many recordings have also brought orchestral music to countless numbers of first time listeners.

A favorite guest conductor in Europe, Palmer recently conducted the Europa Philharmonie at the Hardinsburg Castle near Berlin, toured with the Orchestra di San Remo for two weeks in Italy and led concerts with the Czech Radio Orchestra at the Prague and Nelahozeves Castles celebrating the music of George Gershwin. The German press hailed Palmer’s conducting as “a musical high point with world class flair” and Radio Suisse Romande in Switzerland noted Palmer’s: “great professionalism with unity and verve”. Palmer has also led the West Bohemia Symphony, Sophia Symphony, Milano Classico Orchestra and Lausanne Symphony. Highlights of this season include performances with the National Philharmonic of Moldova.

Nicholas Palmer has led concerts with the Chicago Sinfonietta, Louisville Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Billings Philharmonic and other orchestras across the nation. In addition to his appointments in Owensboro and Lafayette, Palmer has been the Music Director of the Altoona Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony as well as the Nashville Ballet and Heartland Ballet. As an Opera Conductor he has led productions with the Boston Summer Opera, Harvard University Opera, Goldovsky Opera Company, Chicago Light Opera Works, and the Jacksonville Opera.

As a Pops conductor, Palmer has won rave reviews with the Nashville Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Boulder Philharmonic, and the Virginia Symphony, among others. Palmer has worked with many top Pops performers including Clay Aiken, George Shearing, Al Hirt, Classical Mystery Tour, BJ Thomas, Nancy Griffith, Roger Williams and many others. The Boulder Daily Camera noted: "(Palmer) is intensely musical, communicates well and easily with the orchestra and manages to share the entire musical experience with the audience in a meaningful way." This season Nick has been invited to conduct the opening Pops Series concerts with the Tuscon Symphony.

A native of Hingham, Massachusetts, Palmer graduated cum laude from Harvard University and received his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Iowa, respectively. He also has studied at the Juilliard School, Pierre Monteux Domaine School, Aspen Music School, the Festival at Sandpoint, and the Academia Chigiana in Italy, where he was a student of Franco Ferrara and Carlo Maria Giulini.

Nick and Dorothy Palmer have four boys: Nicholas, Daniel, Alexander and Oliver and live on their farm “Harmony Fields” in Eastern Daviess County.