Pepe Romero to debut guitar concerto by David Leisner at The Hamptons Festival of Music, September 3 opener

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 28, 2023

East Hampton, NY? In less than one week, the magic of classical orchestral music comes to Long Island’s East End with the opening concert of this year’s Hamptons Festival of Music, performed by Maestro Michael Palmer and The New American Sinfonietta, and featuring legendary classical guitarist Pepe Romero, taking place in the unique and intimate setting of LTV Studio 3 in Wainscott, NY.

On September 3, at 4 p.m., the Festival opens with a mesmerizing revival of Joseph Haydn’s long-lost orchestral Overture to his opera, La Fedeltà Premiata (“Fidelity Rewarded”).

The program then takes an exciting turn with the world premiere of David Leisner’s Wayfaring, a concerto for guitar and orchestra featuring the legendary classical guitarist Pepe Romero as a soloist, elegantly weaving the beloved folk song “Wayfaring Stranger” into an emotional tapestry of symphonic scale.

“The opportunity to write a guitar concerto on commission for Pepe Romero has been one of the highlights of my life,” says composer Leisner, who teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and is himself a guitarist. “Pepe is my favorite living guitarist, and he may be yours as well. I have known Pepe for many years, both as an older colleague in the guitar world and as the brilliant teacher of master classes I have hosted.”

The evening's offerings continue with Richard Wagner’s enchanting Siegfried Idyll, a musical gem sprung forth from the pastoral passages of Wagner’s “Ring Cycle,” transporting you to a world of romance and nature where the composer’s genius is fully displayed.

The evening concludes brilliantly with Felix Mendelssohn’s sunny Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”), inspired by Italy’s vivid colors and atmosphere. It is one of Maestro Michael Palmer’s signature works, displaying the incredible virtuosity of the orchestra, hearkening back to The American Sinfonietta, which for ten years toured Europe, playing the great concert halls in the musical capitals of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, including the Musikverein in Vienna, home of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Join us in celebrating the indomitable spirit of music at The Hamptons Festival of Music! Revel in the rediscovery of rediscovered treasures, embrace the power of innovation, and immerse yourself in timeless masterpieces that have left an indelible mark on the world this September 3, 8, and 10, an experience that will resonate in your heart long after the final notes.

For more details, visit: www.thehamptonsfestivalofmusic.com

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 PEPE ROMERO

There are very few true living legends in classical music, few who have sustained greatness and grown throughout their lives. Pepe Romero is such an artist. He has been honored by kings, heads of state, and major institutions-the accolades continue to pour in. But to Romero, his most important contribution has been reaching the common man. He has communicated the richness and beauty of the classical guitar to millions of people throughout the world. Indeed, he has become an ambassador of classical music and, correspondingly, of the classical guitar.

Pepe Romero set foot on the concert stage for the first time at age 7 at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Sevilla. And now, more than sixty years later, he continues to mesmerize audiences worldwide, appearing with the world’s leading symphony orchestras. He has worked with almost every major conductor and has over 60 recordings to his credit.

In June 2018, he received the Medalla de Honor from the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de Granada for his lifelong achievement in performance and pedagogy. His website can be found at: https://peperomero.com

ABOUT DAVID LEISNER

David Leisner is an extraordinarily versatile musician with a multi-faceted career as an electrifying performing artist, a distinguished composer, and a master teacher.

As a composer, Leisner is noted for his music’s emotional and dramatic power. Fanfare magazine described it as “rich in invention and melody, emotionally direct, and beautiful.” South Florida Classical Review called him “an original and arresting compositional voice.” Recent commissioners include Pepe Romero for a guitar concerto, Rob Nathanson for the New Music Festival at UNC Wilmington, Cavatina Duo, baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, Arc Duo, Stones River Chamber Players (TN), Fairfield Orchestra (CT), Red Cedar Chamber Music (IA), and the Twentieth Century Unlimited Series (NM).

David Leisner has been a guitar faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music since 1993 and taught at the New England Conservatory from 1980-2003. His book, Playing with Ease: a healthy approach to guitar technique, published by Oxford University Press, has received extraordinary acclaim. http://davidleisner.com/

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 season, TH·FM returns to the Hamptons to provide concertgoers the opportunity to experience full orchestral concerts in the intimate performance space at LTV Studio 3. Festival offerings 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 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


NATIONAL MEDIA CONTACT:

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

# # #

©2023 The Hamptons Festival of Music, All rights reserved.