Episode 4, Talking South Carolina Maestro Nick Palmer North Charleston Pops Interview

Episode transcript:

Angela Barrett “Hey, guys. Today I have with me, Nicholas Palmer, who is the music director and conductor of North Charleston Pops. Hey, Nick. Thanks for being here.”

Nick Palmer Hey. No problem. I’m thrilled to be with you.

Angela Barrett “Yeah, well, this is exciting. I don’t know that I’ve ever talked with a maestro. 1 to 1 before.”

Nick Palmer “I think we’re just, like regular people.”

Angela Barrett “Yeah. yeah, you say that, but, the creativity and the, that you guys have. And the knowledge is just beyond anything. I mean, it’s just amazing to watch. tell me what North Charleston Pops is.”

Nick Palmer “Well, we are a professional pops. Like a Strat. yeah. The difference between a pops orchestra and any other orchestra. I mean, there are jagged or there pops orchestras. There are, what people would call classical orchestras. the the difference between a pops and those is that we play primarily popular music, fill out like be different genres from, you know, that movie music, popular music, Broadway, Americana, Great American Songbook.”

Nick Palmer “you know, every, every kind of popular music you can imagine. But all of it is played with a full symphony orchestra.”

Unknown You you you.

Nick Palmer “So that’s kind of the difference. so we wouldn’t do a concert with, you know, a bunch of Mozart and Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, although once in a while we do classical orchestral pieces on our program. So that’s pretty much what we are.”

Angela Barrett “and you guys have all different kinds of, concerts and, free concerts as well as some educational programs. So let’s start with some of this. Y’all have a season and people buy seasonal tickets. I think and and so tell me about those concerts.”

Nick Palmer “Well, yeah. The main, the main theory is, right now, six concerts, we went from 5 to 6 this year. And, there are three concerts in the, fall and, you know, up to December and then three concerts starting in January. So the season basically goes from, October to here late April. And that’s again the main thing, right?”

Nick Palmer “That, the series of concerts that we perform at the North Charlotte’s Performing Arts Center and, there’s a lot of variety in that. you can talk about that particular concert, that we’re going to do. that’s the main thing. And then we, we do a series in the spring called Jasmine Riverfront Park. Another fun park and beautiful park, North Charleston on the water.”

Nick Palmer “And we do a series of, jazz performances that are outdoors, that are free. every couple of weeks, starting late late March, early April, all the way through June. Sometimes we even do them in the fall. and then we provide educational, service news for the North Charleston community, where we go in two schools and teach kids and have a chorus for, area students and a string ensemble.”

Nick Palmer So those are the main thing we do on a on a seasonal basis.

Unknown “To, to to.”

Angela Barrett “and now, the regular concert, the six concerts, for the season, do you have to buy the season tickets or is this something like you can go and get one for one night or and I’m asking, oh yeah, I might be in town. So yeah.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. Yeah. You can definitely buy single tickets. we encourage everybody locally to buy season tickets just because they get certain benefits. They get, free parking and, you know, it’s it’s a lot cheaper to buy a season ticket than to buy a single ticket. So, you know, obviously we we, you know, we try to push that as much as possible.”

Nick Palmer “and the, the theories that we have, this year, we’re going to be featuring a lot of, regional artists that are going to be performing when I, the first concert is October 19th and it’s called Bewitched. it’s featuring hey, it’s Finger Lakes and actually in North Florida with connections to the Carolina, Alaina Flores.”

Nick Palmer “And he is going to be performing all kinds of interesting things, everything from the, the Queen of the night aria from Mozart’s Magic Flute. And so they’re a little of a classical music fine tune, and Hallelujah by Cohen and never enough, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John. And then we’re going to have some, interesting orchestral music.”

Nick Palmer “you know, everything from The Devil Went Down to Georgia to, Rocky Horror Picture Show. And so it it’ll be a really, really fun night. I think he sponsors November 9th, and it’s called by the Philharmonic, and we’re going to be featuring a local artist who is now living in, Texas. But he was here for quite some time in our area, Robbie Maddox.”

Nick Palmer “And then we’re going to be doing a lot of fun music. even under Ray Charles. Earth, Wind and fire, you know, even from shaft, things like that kind of really great, you know, the 69. Neat. And then we’ll consider, you know, go ahead.”

Angela Barrett No. Go ahead. Tell me about the last concert and then I’ll ask.

Nick Palmer “Well, know what the last one of 2024 is? Our holiday pops, which we just started last year. We did it for the first time. and we’re going to be featuring local singers. Martin Schock, Suzanne Fleming Atwood and Heather, right, who this year performed a Joni Mitchell show at us. you know that Paul Meadow City Ballet and, so, yeah, it’s going to be a real fun, concert to celebrate the holiday.”

Nick Palmer So those are those are the concerts for the rest of 2024.

Angela Barrett “Right. So in and what I was going to ask is, you guys, when I think of an orchestra, I just think of music being played. You don’t normally or I don’t think, you know, vocalists, singers getting involved, but you, you guys do.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah. We need a lot of time to the future vocalists or sometimes instrumentalist. We had, pianists perform with us before, we had, cover band perform with us. yeah. So, you know, there’s there’s a lot of variety. this year, we just happened to have several singers that are that are performing with, in our cottage.”

Angela Barrett “Yeah. the well, that’s kind of cool. and now as far as, like, the fun concerts down at the rear of the Riverfront Park, you said those about every two weeks or.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah. I mean, that’s what we’ve done the last couple of years to do the second season that we’ve done the concerts, jazz Riverfront Park and and sometimes we’ll have maybe a jazz trio playing, you know, great American fan, like, stop. So maybe, you know, classic, crooner tunes or we’ll have maybe, a Latin group performing, like, you know, recently in music or, you know, whatever.”

Nick Palmer “I mean, it’s all different kinds of jazz, big band sometimes. there’s a lot of variety. It’s. It’s become a very popular band. It’s right outside, the la mo restaurant, which is that right up there? Yeah. Riverfront Park, so people can have early night, you know, there. And listen to the line. Jazz outside. a lot of people bring picnics, and it’s been, you know, when I really.”

Nick Palmer “It’s not a really, really popular thing.”

Angela Barrett “Yeah. it sounds that way. And, you know, a great way for people to enjoy not only the music, but the area as well. So,”

Nick Palmer Right.

Angela Barrett “Because that is beautiful down there. And isn’t it the educational part of what you do? Cause you love a lot of. And we’ll talk about how much in a minute, but, the educational part of is this something like you go and you guys teach a, a class for a day, or you’re there for them for the whole year, or how does that work?”

Nick Palmer “well, it it’s, it can be both white. We know the main, part of our program is that we we have some part musicians are going in after school, to teach. Yeah, in, like, Charleston. And and they have a program there called kaleidoscope, which is an afterschool program and enrichment program that we we are partnering with at different schools.”

Nick Palmer “So, so it’s teaching kids, instruments, usually string instrument, vocal music. and then some of those kids that are taught are part of our ensembles. We have, we have a string group, and then we have a choir that perform with us every year on stage, at the Performing Arts Center. in addition to that, we do, performances for the kids, featuring our players, so they get a chance to hear small groups, play their school.”

Nick Palmer “And, this year, in addition to the elementary school programs that we’ve been doing, we’re also going to be partnering with the Lagrange Charter School in North Charleston, which in some middle school and high school. So our expansion of what we what we can doing and, you know, that’s that’s a really important part of what we do because a lot of the schools in, in North Charleston, kids are, you know, they’re, you know, title one schools sometimes.”

Nick Palmer “And a lot of time, they don’t really have a lot of music education, especially in that in earlier years, like in elementary school. Right. We want to be a part of that.”

Angela Barrett Right. great exposure for them for sure.

Nick Palmer “You’re right. Yeah. We also do a summer camp, which we’re going to be doing, later in July. And, in music, but it also has dance and light and different things. So that’s an opportunity for kids. Yes. And concentrate in music education over the summer.”

Angela Barrett “Oh, yeah. Neat. now, do I understand that this is not the only orchestra that you are to right? Train conductor ever.”

Nick Palmer “Are you star? no. It is an inch high pass on. And now it’s kind of common for conductor. Yeah. You know, I have more than one orchestra. and I traditionally at 2 or 3, I have another one in, Pennsylvania that I work with. And so I go there almost every month to, to work with that artist.”

Nick Palmer “Right. I have the summer music festival in the Boston area that I’m, I’m actually going to next week where I conduct in the summer. and then I do a lot of conducting different orchestras. Oh, I’m in, all over the world.”

Angela Barrett I was going to say all over the world.

Nick Palmer “Yeah. No. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it’s a lot of fun. It’s very exciting. And, over the past ten years or so, I’ve been involved in a project record eight, music at the Abbey Road Studios in London with the London Philharmonic. That’s really exciting. Yeah. Recording new music out for New Night. And composer Arnold Rosner, who’s written a lot of wonderful music.”

Nick Palmer “So we’ve been putting it on, desks now. And, you know, that’s been really cool. So, yeah, it’s it keeps me busy, let’s put it that way.”

Angela Barrett “I would imagine so, yeah. so where is your when you, when you travel and you do all these guest. appearances, as the conductor. What’s your favorite? You think?”

Nick Palmer “well, I really love working here as much with any anyone.”

Angela Barrett Home.

Nick Palmer “Spot, right? Yeah. I mean, it’s it’s great. And because, you know, it’s our it’s our local orchestra. I’m a big part of the city of North Charleston, which is, you know, which is a very big, city. And, it’s a, you know, business, for this area. And, it’s the third largest city in South Carolina.”

Nick Palmer “And so we take great pride in and be connected to the city. And, partnering with the city and with the performing arts center with, you know, two, narcotics on so but, you know, obviously, I love going other places, you know, that you get to do different things and it’s nice to have a little variety in my work.”

Nick Palmer So I enjoy that a lot.

Angela Barrett “Yeah. So, when did you for well, what was the first indication of your love of music that led you here?”

Nick Palmer “well, I, I started really early in music. you know, I started well when I was five years old. Piano lessons.”

Angela Barrett “And then that, you know, instrument.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah, but I didn’t. I didn’t play for very long. so I, I ended up going, you know, playing other instruments and, you know, I played the clarinet and the saxophone and, and that I played yellow bass and the electric bass and the tuba, and I studied copper, listening to music and all that. And then what? I went to college, I started two doc, and, that’s when I really got excited about having a career like, dang.”

Nick Palmer “And I had my first job. well, I’ve been in the profession for 40 years at the time. Profession professional conductor. I got my my first job and I in my 20s. And, you know, I’ve been doing it ever since. and, when I, I’d already had an interest in, in this job. the orchestra was only a couple of years old when I came here.”

Nick Palmer “and I found out about it, and I, I thought it sounded like a really great opportunity. And then there, you know, a connection between the that one, like, music director and and doctor and I, you know, interviewed, not listened to the position and got the job. And I’ve been here about almost ten years now.”

Angela Barrett Place.

Nick Palmer “but for the first part of it, I commuted, I was living in Kentucky, and we would commute. My wife Clara come down here to South Carolina, and I really loved the, the low country. So about three years ago, we moved. And now we’re really excited to be here.”

Unknown “It’s time to do you, too.”

Angela Barrett “well. Good. Good. Yeah. now, let me ask you, the musicians that are in the orchestra, are they all local?”

Nick Palmer “Know that? I mean, a lot of them are from, here from, you know, North Charleston. Charleston. some are down Mount Pleasant area, but then we have quite a few that. Well, not a challenge. Well, you know, we had people who come from Colombia, I mean, now and Santana came, you know, all around, the area because, you know, when you have a professional orchestra like that, you know, work were selected and the people that we that we have performed, like, not sure.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah. So sometimes we, we go outside of our immediate area, in fact, most of the time, so most of the people come from a wide radius, even people from Atlanta. So I say within a five hour radius, our our first trumpet player actually drives up here from Tampa. So yeah.”

Angela Barrett Oh wow.

Nick Palmer He’s got the longest one of the longest drives. No. Anybody know. Yeah. They come from all over.

Angela Barrett And how many people are in a full orchestra? at least your orchestra.

Nick Palmer “And it’s about if you get 50 people. Oh, really? but yeah, it’s the thing. Orchestra. yeah. And, you know, sometimes through the orchestra, we will have a band within the orchestra, you know, like, though piano, bass, drums, guitar, you know, it’s part of the orchestra and and saxophones frequently. So, it’s kind of a, you know, it’s a hybrid orchestra, I would say.”

Angela Barrett “Sure. Because, like, for the counselors at the, down the river front, you wouldn’t take the whole full orchestra. You just call it. Yeah, we would just be little whoever parks and. Yeah, I gotcha. That sounds neat. Yeah, that’s a big orchestra there.”

Nick Palmer “Yeah. Oh, yeah.”

Angela Barrett “So, who’s been your biggest, influence, sir? you think in the music world,”

Nick Palmer “You know, I if I’m talking specifically about pop, and pop conducting and pops orchestra, I can. Yeah, I would say John Williams, he has been kind of a mentor to me in, in, in the pop world for a long time now. Yeah. I won an award when I was, like, 30. and he wrote a personal letter to me gradually, which is really cool.”

Nick Palmer “And then about, ten years later, when I left, one of the jobs that I had, he sent a signed, first original page copy. Oh, original. I got, the first page of the Star Wars score, the first one that he did.”

Angela Barrett Wow.

Nick Palmer “And then I got stuck for Star Wars. You know, I’m not quite sure. Or something. Hang on, 70.”

Unknown “Two, you you.”

Angela Barrett sure you had that phrase hanging on a wall somewhere?

Nick Palmer I sure it.

Angela Barrett I.

Nick Palmer “Very old and it out and and you know, the Taj and, Yeah. I would say for the pop world esthetic huge. And so, you know, I had a lot of other end points and, for the classical end of what I do because you know, I, I’ve always been a classical orchestra conductor ever since I started, and I’ve always done pops as well.”

Nick Palmer “Now I do about half and half, in my career.”

Unknown You do too.

Angela Barrett “So you had done pops, before?”

Nick Palmer Yeah.

Angela Barrett Okay.

Nick Palmer “Yeah, I when I my first professional job. Well, now I can make money. Oh, yeah. I like going to the cafe in Florida. And I did a lot of pops now and, and that continued for quite a while, I guess that’s no standard in the orchestra after I left last year. I do a lot of pops. yeah.”

Nick Palmer “You know, 15 years or so, 20 years or so.”

Angela Barrett Gotcha.

Nick Palmer “So, yeah, I’ve always done that.”

Angela Barrett “Now, the award that you’re talking about, are you talking about the Helen M Thompson Award?”

Nick Palmer Yeah.

Angela Barrett “Yeah, very. Yeah, I got award.”

Nick Palmer “Well thank you I got that award when I think I was 35, I it’s that word that they give me, they would give one year to a conductor and one year to an executive director of an artist. Yes. They alternate. Yeah. And I was I reached. Oh wow I did I got that award when I did.”

Angela Barrett Yeah. Yeah.

Nick Palmer Kind of like they thanked me.

Angela Barrett “Yeah. And well would be for anybody. Yes I, I didn’t read up on that. I have to admit I did not know what that was at first and was like, what is this? And then I was like, wow, you know. Yeah.”

Nick Palmer I’ll I’ll make it.

Angela Barrett “Yeah. So, and tell me again, the next, concert is coming up.”

Nick Palmer “Well, our first concert of the season.”

Angela Barrett “Oh, yeah. The first and.”

Nick Palmer “Take up in October. Yeah. October 19th. we actually have one more jazz at Riverfront Park in September, but then the first actual concert on stage in November at the. You know, it’s not performing arts center is October 19th. and it’ll be a little bit, like a Halloween style concert, even though it’s a local for Halloween.”

Nick Palmer “But, it’ll be fine.”

Angela Barrett Yeah.

Nick Palmer We’re back.

Angela Barrett “Well, thank you so much for, being with me today, and and, I guess you can find out more, about, all these concerts and all these events. There’s a Facebook page, and I think it’s, I’m standing right on it. Now, watch. Here we go. North Charleston pop. So that makes sense. And that’s the same.”

Angela Barrett “It’s the, website address. North Charleston.”

Nick Palmer You can also just put in and see pop. Oh yeah. Dot com. Yeah. So that’s another way to get there. Yeah. We also had my Instagram. So yeah please follow us on social media. And we’d like to see people come out to North Charleston. They hear some.

Angela Barrett Concerns. Yeah absolutely. Well thank you so much.

Nick Palmer “Thank you Angela, it’s been a real pleasure being with you.”

Angela Barrett You as well.