Ukraine and Austria: Winter 2020

On the heels of our Carnegie Hall performance, pianist Irena Portenko and I will be taking our show on the road to Ukraine and Austria this February.

1 February: Odessa (Urban Hall)

I will join pianists Irena Portenko and Sergei Kvitko, along with a local string quartet, to perform an all-Schubert program at 5:30pm in Urban Hall, Rishelievska Street 33, Odessa, Ukraine.

2 February: Kyiv (St Catherine’s Church)

Irena and I will bring our Carnegie Hall concert program to Kyiv with a 7pm performance at St Catherine’s Church, Liuteranska Street 22, Kyiv, Ukraine.

4 February: Bad Gastein (Grand Hotel De l’Europe Gastein)

Irena and I will present our concert program at the inaugural winter session of her Music In The Alps festival at 7pm in the Wienersaal of the Grand Hotel De l’Europe Gastein, Bad Gastein, Austria.

Additionally, I’ll have the opportunity to work with students at the Ukrainian National Academy of Music in Kyiv on 30 January, as well as take part in other Music In The Alps performances in Bad Gastein during the first week of February.

These performances are open to all. To purchase tickets for our 2 February Kyiv concert in advance, click here.

Carnegie Hall Debut

I am over the moon to announce that on Wednesday, 8 January, I will be making my Carnegie Hall debut with pianist Irena Portenko in the Weill Recital Hall. This eclectic program features a selection of arias and art songs by such composers as Handel, Debussy and Schubert, as well as new settings of traditional Irish and Icelandic melodies, an original a cappella arrangement of a piece by Huang Ruo, and the New York premiere of a solo piano work by 17-year-old composer Benjamin Araujo.

Click here to purchase tickets. A student and senior discount is also available at the box office.

Pan-Orthodox Christmas Concert

I will be joining the choir of Brooklyn’s St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral to sing in a concert of Orthodox Christmas music at St Mark Syriac Orthodox Cathedral in Paramus, New Jersey on Sunday, 8 December. The evening will showcase beautiful, sacred hymns of the Christmas season as presented by professional choirs of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. All proceeds will go to aid the plight of Christians in Syria.

To purchase tickets, click here.

Music From The Alps

On Sunday, 10 November, pianist Irena Portenko and I will bring our acclaimed program of music performed at the Music In The Alps festival in Austria this summer to the ‘Sundays at Three Concert Series’ at St John’s In The Village in New York City. Featuring selections from Austria’s own Franz Schubert, this eclectic program also includes music by Handel, Debussy, Schumann, Sondheim, and new arrangements of traditional folk songs.

To purchase tickets, visit the concert’s Eventbrite page by clicking here.

Beauty 美 Review In Fanfare Magazine

A review of my recent album Beauty 美 with pianist Riko Higuma, written by Chicago-based music critic Henry Fogel, will be published in the November/December issue of Fanfare Magazine. Be sure to check it out, and read a few snippets from the review below.

“This is a delightful recital disc of songs and piano pieces.

“Jeffrey Palmer is an American countertenor based in Brooklyn with a particularly attractive timbre. There is more warmth to the tone than I often find with countertenors, and he sings with great imagination and deep feeling for the words. Although countertenors typically cover the range of a contralto or mezzo-soprano, Palmer is a sopranist, with a particularly high, ethereal range … Palmer is as comfortable in Handel and Purcell as he is in Debussy and Schumann. He demonstrates stunning virtuosity in the unaccompanied scene from Huang Ruo’s Paradise Interrupted … He is also adept in the lighter repertoire represented by two folksongs and Joseph Kosma’s ever-popular Autumn Leaves.

“Pianist Riko Higuma is the accomplished collaborative pianist who works very sensitively with Palmer. This is readily apparent from the delicate shading she employs in the first song, Debussy’s Beau Soir, where Higuma and Palmer breathe as one … Andrew List’s “Amon-Re,” a movement of his piano cycle The Temple of Dendera, is quite gripping in its quiet intensity.

“The recorded sound is very well balanced—neither the singer nor the piano is too far forward or too much in the background—and there is a pleasant sense of space around the performers. This CD will provide you with great listening pleasure and perhaps the joy that comes from discovering a new vocal talent.”

—Henry Fogel

From The Sound Of It

I’ll be accompanying writer Jacquelyn Gallo during From the Sound Of It, an evening of music and literature at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street) in New York City on Wednesday, 11 September at 9pm. This unique event will feature former and current Columbia University graduate students who will be reading their own music-inspired work, accompanied by live musicians.

Austria: Summer 2019

This August, I am thrilled to return to Austria to sing for the first time since 2001, and participate in the Music In The Alps festival in Bad Gastein and Salzburg. While there will be many performances during my week’s stay at the festival, there are two very special concerts I wanted to let you know about.

10 August: Bad Gastein (Hotel De l’Europe Gastein)

Held in the Wienersaal of the stately belle epoque Hotel De l’Europe Gastein, overlooking the town’s famous waterfall, this program will contain several selections from my recent album, along with a few Schubert songs and other musical surprises. Pianist and festival director Irena Portenko will accompany me on the hall’s Imperial Bösendorfer. The recital begins at 7:30pm.

12 August: Salzburg (Schloss Mirabell)

The Music in the Alps Group Concert, featuring performances from the festival’s faculty and participants, will be held in the famed Marmorsaal of Schloss Mirabell, site of the famous Salzburg Palace Concerts, including performances by Mozart himself. The concert begins at 5:30pm.

For those of you in Austria, I hope to see you there! And if you’re unable to be with me in person, many of the festival’s concerts will be livestreamed, so I encourage you to follow the Music in the Alps Facebook Page.

Concert in White Plains, New York

I will be joining pianist Irena Portenko and several other talented musicians in concert at St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in White Plains, New York on 9 June at 2pm. All proceeds from this concert will go towards the Music in the Alps Festival, taking place later this summer in Austria. I’ll be singing a few classical pieces, accompanied by Irena, as well a couple of standards with a jazz quartet.

Jeffrey and Riko Interviewed for CutCommon

Riko and I were thrilled to be recently interviewed for Australian music magazine CutCommon about our new album together, Beauty 美. Thank you to the magazine’s editor Stephanie Eslake for speaking with us, and allowing us to share a few stories about how the album came to be and the inspiration behind the project. And a big shout out to to the whole CutCommon team down in Tasmania! Thanks for listening.

To read the interview, click here.

Beauty 美 Now Available Digitally

We are very happy to announce that Beauty 美 by Jeffrey Palmer and Riko Higuma is now available digitally on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, and all other major digital platforms. Thank you for your support, and happy downloading!

If you would still like to purchase a physical CD, contact me directly at jeffrey@jeffreypalmer.net.

NYC Beauty 美 Launch

Thank you to everyone who came down to the West Village for the New York City Launch of Beauty 美. It was lovely to see so many of you there, and Riko and I had the most wonderful time sharing some of the music live with you.

Looking forward to seeing more of you in Maida Vale for our London launch on Wednesday, 20 March, as well as at our concerts in Calstock and Bath. For more information on the UK Beauty 美 Tour, click here.

Beauty 美 by Jeffrey and Riko Available Now

The day has arrived! Beauty 美, my debut album in collaboration with pianist Riko Higuma, is available now through Blue Griffin Records. Including works by Debussy, Schumann, Purcell, and modern composers Huang Ruo and Andrew List, this album is a selection of musical works that each provide their own unique reflection on the idea of beauty, and that have personally touched the two of us in profound ways.

To purchase the album, visit the Blue Griffin Shop, or e-mail me directly for a signed copy. The album will also be available for digital download in the very near future.

Thanks to all of you who helped bring this project to fruition. May the beauty of these pieces pleasurably exalt your mind and spirit as much as they have ours.

All Schubert Concert

I will be joining pianist Irena Portenko and a host of other talented musicians to present a concert of music by Austrian composer Franz Schubert on 3 March in New Rochelle, New York at 3pm. I’ll be singing three beautiful songs by Schubert, with the program also including his Fantasy in F Minor and “Trout” Quintet. If you’re in the area, please come out and enjoy this treat of a concert.

CutCommon Article

UPDATE: I have subsequently been asked to continue writing for CutCommon, and will continue to share these articles focusing on new classical music in the Words section of this website. Thank you for reading!

I was honoured to have recently been asked to write an article for Australian new music magazine CutCommon about my friend, composer Michael Grebla. I wrote it shortly after hearing the world premier of his new piece Sympathy, performed by soprano Amber Evans and cellist Issei Herr at a concert of all new music by Australian composers given in New York City on 26 January (Australia Day).

To read the article, click here.

UK Beauty 美 Tour: Spring 2019

In support of my upcoming album Beauty 美 with pianist Riko Higuma, the two of us will be embarking on a short UK tour, including three concerts across the South of England this March.

20 March: London (Maida Vale House Concert)

22 March: Calstock (Calstock Arts)

27 March: Bath (Michael Tippett Centre)

Click on the links above for more information or to reserve tickets for the Calstock and Bath performances. For more information on the house concert in London, send an email to jeffrey@jeffreypalmer.net.

My Album Project

UPDATE: Thanks to your generous donations, we exceeded our Kickstarter goal! Riko and I are incredibly grateful to each and everyone one of you who donated to this project. We look forward to sharing the music with you soon!

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I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been given the opportunity to record a new album with pianist Riko Higuma for Blue Griffin Records!

Our first full-length album together, this project will feature music that centers on the theme of beauty. Spanning several centuries, genres and languages, the album will feature an assortment of arias, art songs, folk music and solo works that each provide their own unique reflection on the idea of beauty. We’ll be recording it this November in Lansing, Michigan with the very talented producer Sergei Kvitko.

 To help us cover costs of the recording and production of this album, Riko and I have launched a Kickstarter page. We would really appreciate your consideration of donating to the project – and we even have several prizes associated with different levels of giving! Contributions of any amount are highly appreciated as every bit will help get us one step closer to making this dream of ours come true.

Lives of Tiresias

I am thrilled to announce that I will be singing original music from composer Lucas Tahiruzzaman Syed in a brand new play called Lives of Tiresias at the Jefferson Market Playhouse in New York City on 22 and 23 June. The play ties truths from ancient Greek myths surrounding the blind prophet Tiresias of Thebes, famous for his clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years, to present-day events. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance by clicking here.

I hope to see you there!

Concert With David Fox

On Saturday, 3 February, I'll be joining artist David Fox for a special live performance during the opening reception for his show at Axel Interiors in Norwalk, Connecticut. David and I will be performing all original music, along with the debut of one very special cover. If you're in the area, please stop by to enjoy his beautiful work and hear us perform between 5 and 8pm.

New Website

Welcome to the new official website of countertenor Jeffrey Palmer! Explore the various pages, and be sure to check this page regularly for updates on new recordings and upcoming live performances.