Our Conductor
Christopher Palmer – Conductor
Christopher Palmer was born in The Hague, Netherlands, of Canadian parents. At the age of four, his family moved to London, England. There was a lot of music making and music instruction in his home and at his school, Highgate School. He studied at the Royal College of Music, and later at Ottawa University.
As a professional bassoonist he has played in many orchestras and ensembles, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Since 1985 he has been a member of Symphony Nova Scotia, and he has occasionally performed as a soloist with them. He also plays organ at his church, does jazz piano gigs, and is active in the community as a teacher, coach and conductor.
As a composer and arranger, he has written scores in many styles. His orchestral works such as “For Those In Peril On The Sea”, “Pier 21 Overture, and “From the Delta to Chicago – a Blues Journey” have been performed by Symphony Nova Scotia. The Rhapsody Quintet have performed and recorded his arrangements of songs by Gershwin, Kern and Romberg. The Blue Engine String Quartet have performed and recorded his settings of Christmas Carols and the songs of Leonard Cohen.
As well as taking basic conducting studies at the Royal College of Music and Ottawa University, he has participated in conducting masterclasses with Victor Yampolsky and Alex Pauk at the Scotia Festival of Music, and has attended the Conductors’ Institute in Columbia, South Carolina. He also received some good tips from the late Dr. Georg Tintner, a musician who always inspired him. He has conducted various ensembles, including the Chebucto Orchestra, Nova Sinfonia, the Lighthouse Ensemble, Upstream Music, and numerous chamber and contemporary music groups.
