Artistic Director and Conductor
Michael Palmer has long been considered one of this country's finest conductors. Mr. Palmer began his career at age 21, when he came to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as assistant conductor at the invitation of Robert Shaw. He was soon made associate conductor, and also founded and was music director of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. While in Atlanta, Michael Palmer was honored as one of five of the first conductors in the United States chosen by the National Endowment for the Arts to be Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor, and he was soon in demand with orchestras throughout the country. While continuing in his post in Atlanta, he was appointed guest conductor of the Houston Symphony Orchestra for a three-year period. He also worked extensively with the National Symphony Orchestra during this period, and he was, subsequently, named co-principal guest conductor of the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
After 10 years in Atlanta as associate conductor, Mr. Palmer accepted appointments as music director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra followed by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. In New Haven, he was recognized widely for his artistic accomplishments and for building the Orchestra to one of the finest of its kind in the nation. Carnegie Hall invited Michael Palmer and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra to make their New York debut on its distinguished Visiting Orchestra Series in 1994. During his tenure as music director in New Haven, Mr. Palmer founded the American Sinfonietta, which toured Europe for 10 seasons under his leadership, playing to critical acclaim in the major concert halls of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This led to the creation of the Bellingham Festival of Music in 1993. Under his artistic leadership, the Festival has become internationally recognized for its artistry. As the founding Artistic Director, his concerts are heard across the nation on public radio and feature some of the finest orchestral musicians and major guest artists from the United States and abroad. He also maintains an active international guest conducting season each year and most recently, he maintains a working relationship with one of China's premiere orchestras, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra.
Michael Palmer joined the Georgia State University School of Music faculty as Director of Orchestras in August 2004. In 2006, he was honored by GSU and named as the Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor of Orchestral Studies.
In addition to his regular concerts, he remains focused on building a legacy for future arts supporters and lovers of classical music, through his non-profit organization, Anacrusis Productions Ltd. (Website: anacrusisproductionslimited.org). His latest interest is in exploring and developing interdisciplinary arts projects. Please visit - maestropalmer.com - for more details about Maestro Palmer.
Associate Conductor
Logan Souther is quickly developing a reputation as an orchestra conductor and pianist of significant talent with a serious approach to music in Atlanta, Georgia.
A gifted conductor of the operatic repertoire, Logan has served on the music staff of The Sarasota Opera, The Atlanta Opera, OperaNEO (San Diego), The Harrower Summer Opera Workshop, The Augusta Opera Initiative, and for several years was the music director and principal conductor for the Georgia State University Opera Theatre. While leading the GSU Opera Theatre Logan consistently raised artistic standards among singers and instrumentalists alike while performing reperoite that ranged from Mozart to Stephen Paulus.
Logan has served as a recurring guest conductor with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and for two seasons was the assistant conductor for the Bellingham Festival of Music, the premiere orchestral festival of the Pacific Northwest. He is the associate conductor of The Hamptons Festival of Music.
With a passionate commitment to outreach and education, Logan has worked closely with the Atlanta Music Project where he has taught music theory, coached chamber ensembles, accompanied recitals and conducted both of AMP’s symphonic orchestras. The Atlanta Music Project is an El Sistema based organization which reaches hundreds of students in underserved communities each year.
An engaging arts entrepreneur, at the age of 19 Logan founded the Gainesville Sinfonietta where he was fully responsible for all levels of production and successfully mobilized funding for the Sinfonietta each year. The Gainesville Sinfonietta was a fully professional orchestra which performed free concerts each year for the North Georgia community.
Logan began intensive studies in orchestral conducting at the age of 15 with Michael Palmer with whom he went on to study at Georgia State University completing a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting (2017) and a Bachelor’s in Piano Performance (2016.) Additional teacher’s include Dwight Oltman and David Effron.