The Hamptons Festival of Music Announces 2025 Mainstage Season

For Immediate Release

East Hampton, NY – The Hamptons Festival of Music (TH·FM) is pleased to unveil its 2025 season, marked by artistic excellence and a new chapter for the organization. This year, TH·FM will make its home at the beautiful and historic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton Village, where a trio of thoughtfully curated performances will take place.

The 2025 Mainstage Season features three concerts showcasing a range of classical works. Under the direction of the Festival’s artistic director, Maestro Michael Palmer, the New American Sinfonietta will perform music by Prokofiev, Barber, Mozart, Cimarosa, Berlioz, and Beethoven. Associate conductor Logan Souther will lead a concert of works by Stravinsky, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. The season will also highlight the talents of violinist Annie Chalex Boyle and soprano Greer Lyle.

“This year's Festival Season promises to be a truly captivating experience. With a stunning lineup of classical orchestral masterpieces performed by world-class musicians, we're excited to unveil a new chapter for the Festival at the beautiful St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Audiences will be transported on a journey through the rich tapestry of classical music, from the playful wit of Prokofiev to the emotional depth of Beethoven. Join us for an unforgettable celebration of the arts in the heart of the Hamptons!”
~Maestro Michael Palmer, Artistic Director, The Hamptons Festival of Music

The Festival commences on Saturday, September 6 in Hoie Hall, with Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, “Classical,” a delightful homage to the classical era infused with the composer’s distinctive modern flair. Following this, violinist Annie Chalex Boyle, whose TH·FM debut in 2023 featured Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aeries, returns to perform Barber’s Violin Concerto, a work known for its lyrical beauty and technical demands. The evening culminates with Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 in C Major, “Linz,” celebrated for its elegance and vitality.

Set within the intimate ambiance of St. Luke’s Sanctuary, the second concert features Stravinsky’s “Dumbarton Oaks,” a chamber concerto that blends Baroque inspirations with 20th-century harmonies. It is followed by Mozart’s Symphony No. 29, which exudes youthful exuberance and melodic charm. The evening concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, a heartfelt work that reflects the composer’s lyrical style and romantic sensibilities.

The Festival’s finale opens with Cimarosa’s Overture to “The Secret Marriage,” a rarely performed, lively, and engaging introduction to the composer’s most celebrated opera. Soprano Greer Lyle, a frequent performer in TH· FM’s community outreach concerts, will then take the stage for Berlioz’s song cycle “Nuits d’été.” The season concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, under the baton of Maestro Palmer, whose deep familiarity with Beethoven’s music brings added insight to this work that balances classical form with Beethoven’s unmistakable characteristic emotional depth.

“The Hamptons Festival of Music is thrilled to present its 2025 Mainstage Festival Season, a vibrant showcase of classical symphonic music that promises to enthrall audiences of all backgrounds. This year, we are proud to call the historic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church our home, offering an intimate and acoustically rich setting for these exceptional performances, continuing with one of the signatures of our concerts, experiencing orchestral performances in unusual and memorable settings. From the electrifying energy of Mozart and Stravinsky to the soaring melodies of Tchaikovsky, and of course, a Beethoven Symphony under the baton of Maestro Palmer, the season offers a diverse and enriching musical experience. We invite you to join us in September for these unforgettable evenings of world-class music.” ~Michael Yip, Executive Director, The Hamptons Festival of Music

The 2025 Mainstage Season Concerts:

Saturday, 6 September 2025, 7 p.m.

Hoie Hall, St. Luke's Episcopal Church
The New American Sinfonietta
Michael Palmer, conductor
Annie Chalex-Boyle, violin
     PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 1 (“Classical”)
     BARBER: Violin Concerto
     MOZART: Symphony No. 36 in C Major (“Linz”)

Thursday, 11 September 2025, 7PM

The Sanctuary, St. Luke's Episcopal Church
The New American Sinfonietta
Logan Soutrher, conductor
     STRAVINSKY: Dumbarton Oaks
     MOZART: Symphony No. 29
     TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings

Sunday, 14 September 2025, 4 p.m.

Hoie Hall, St. Luke's Episcopal Church
The New American Sinfonietta
Michael Palmer, conductor
Greer Lyle, soprano
     CIMAROSA: Overture to The Secret Marriage
     BERLIOZ: Nuits d’été
     BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 4 in Bb Major.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit thfm.org or contact contact@thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com.

Note: Program details are subject to change. Please refer to the Festival’s official communications or website for the most up-to-date information.

Support Our Vision to Make East Hampton a Premier Music Destination

As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, TH·FM relies on generous contributions from our supporters. Each donation directly impacts our mission to bring world-class music experiences to the East End. We invite you to support us in various ways, from financial gifts to volunteering to house musicians.

For more information on how you can support TH·FM, please visit https://www.thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com/support.

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ABOUT MAESTRO MICHAEL PALMER

Michael Palmer (born May 8, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American orchestral conductor. Palmer began his professional career at age 21 when he became Assistant Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1967 under its legendary Music Director, Robert Shaw. Palmer was later named the ASO’s Associate Conductor. In that capacity, he founded and became the first director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1974. In 1975 Palmer was one of the first young American conductors selected as an EXXON/Arts Endowment Conductor by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Palmer left the ASO in 1977 to become Music Director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra (1977–1990), followed by the posts of Music Director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (1989–1997) and the American Sinfonietta (1991–2002), with whom he toured Europe for 10 consecutive seasons. Beginning in 1993, he served as Founder and Artistic Director of the Bellingham Festival of Music (Bellingham, Washington) and, as of 2023, is now Conductor Laureate.

Palmer also was Guest Conductor for three seasons for the Houston Symphony Orchestra (1978–1981) and Co-Principal Guest Conductor of the Denver Symphony Orchestra (1979–1982) and has made international appearances as a conductor in Canada, Europe, and China. He has also held academic conducting posts as Director of Orchestras for Wichita State University (1999–2004) and Distinguished Professor of Orchestral Studies at Georgia State University (2004–2023).

ABOUT THE HAMPTONS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

The Hamptons Festival of Music (TH·FM) is the brainchild of Maestro Michael Palmer, who has established, maintained, and sustained the Bellingham Festival of Music, the premier orchestral music festival in the Pacific Northwest, for over 29 years. (www.bellinghamfestival.org)

Maestro Palmer recognized the artistic gravitational pull of Long Island’s East End, which is deeply rooted in the works of many legendary artists. He set in motion plans to create a similar yet unique classical music and festival experience, specifically serving the local, year-round residents in East Hampton and the surrounding hamlets and villages.

Following the success of its inaugural pilot and sophomore seasons, TH·FM returns to the Hamptons for a third consecutive year to provide concertgoers the opportunity to experience full orchestral concerts in the intimate performance space at LTV Studio 3. Festival performances will present audiences with unforgettable experiences of live performances of some of the greatest classical masterworks.

TH·FM features internationally recognized guest artists performing with The New American Sinfonietta, the resident orchestra of TH·FM. This orchestra comprises top orchestral musicians from across the US, Canada, and abroad, including many who hold principal positions with leading orchestras and ensembles.

 

WEBLINKS:

For more information about Maestro Michael Palmer, visit: maestropalmer.com

For more information about TH·FM, visit: thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com

FESTIVAL CONTACT:

E-mail: contact@thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mark Gresham
Lux Nova Media
e-mail: media@luxnovamedia.com
tel: 404-664-0759

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