Launched in 2022 under the direction of Michael Palmer, an internationally renowned orchestral conductor, the Hamptons Festival of Music has evolved from a three-day post-Labor Day event at LTV Studios in Wainscott to a year-round series of productions at a variety of venues.
The festival will present Sunset Serenades: A Hamptons Summer Celebration starting next Thursday with a concert at the Springs Presbyterian Church and continuing over the weekend with performances at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton, Christ Episcopal Church in Sag Harbor, and St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Bridgehampton.
Of the programs, Logan Souther, the festival’s associate conductor, said, “It was successful in 2024 and got many community members excited about what we’re doing. I remember hearing people after the concert in Springs saying, ‘This is wonderful, having something like this here in Springs.’ Many of the people who were at the concerts last year have not only become supporters of the festival, they are excited to host musicians in their homes during our September series.”
The concert program, which will be the same at each of the four venues, includes Vivaldi’s “Summer” from “The Four Seasons”; two arias, “Casta Diva” from Bellini’s “Norma” and “Song to the Moon” from “Rusalka” by Dvorak, and Mozart’s serenade “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.”
The performance will feature eight members of the festival’s Salon Ensemble Orchestra; the soprano Greer Lyle, a Yale graduate and a semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2021 National Council Auditions, and Garry Ianco, the festival’s assistant concertmaster and a violinist. Mr. Souther will conduct.
Mr. Palmer founded the Bellingham Festival of Music in Bellingham, Wash., in 1993, and served as its artistic director until creating the Hamptons Festival of Music. Mr. Souther spent two seasons in Bellingham while Mr. Palmer was artistic director, working as his assistant and the rehearsal pianist for the festival chorus.
The connection between the two conductors has a long history. When Mr. Souther was between middle school and high school he was studying piano, composition, taking bassoon lessons, and “I had a viola in there for a little bit, too,” he said. “But I had a feeling that those were all leading in different directions, so I thought, what if I dabble in conducting and see if that can combine all of those skills I had been developing.”
Growing up in Flowery Branch, Ga., a picturesque town north of Atlanta, he contacted several university professors in the Atlanta area. Only one responded. “He said I should come down and we’ll have a chat and see what we can do. And that was Michael Palmer. From that time on I met with him once or twice a week, and all of those lessons were free of charge.”
After high school he enrolled at Georgia State University in Atlanta in order to continue his studies with Mr. Palmer, who was on the faculty there. “I had a great opportunity that’s not common for a conductor. I was able to conduct the school’s orchestra and study conducting as an undergraduate.” He wound up completing his bachelor’s degree in piano performance while finishing his master’s in conducting.
He is still based in Atlanta, where since 2017 he has been working as a conductor and teacher at the Atlanta Music Project, the mission of which is social change through music. Based in an area of the city seriously underserved in terms of music education and opportunities, the project offers free orchestral instruction to students.
Mr. Souther works with them three days a week. “When I started there we had maybe 15 orchestra students. Now that has grown to include two orchestras and 50 or 60 students.”
For the first time, the festival will hold its September concert series in St. Luke’s Church. “Last May, we did our first performance there at Hoie Hall and fell in love with the space. The architecture is so beautiful, the acoustic is great, and the location in the heart of the village is perfect for us.”
The Sunset Serenade concerts will take place at the Springs Community Church next Thursday at 7 p.m., St. Luke’s on Friday, May 30, at 7, Christ Episcopal Church on May 31 at 2, and St. Ann’s Episcopal Church on May 31 at 7. General open seating is $40; tickets are available from the website.
