Palaver’s FY27 Goals are focused on
- Artistic Excellence: Providing commissions to support the innovative programming for which we’re known, engaging brilliant, diverse, nationally recognized, and Maine-based artists and composers, and celebrating music through collaborative, social-justice-themed performances.
- Education and Scholarships: Expanding investment in scholarship funds to ensure that family income is never a barrier to accessing high-quality music education; students can continue their learning as they advance from early childhood through high school.
- Sustainability: Building an endowment, Instrument Legacy Initiative, and potentially the 72 Parris Collective over the next few years.
Awards and Accomplishments in the past two years
Palaver received its first Grammy nomination in 2025 for its album, A Change Is Gonna Come (Azica Records, in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning tenor Nicholas Phan). Palaver was installed as the Bay Chamber Concert’s Screen Door Summer Artist Resident in 2026, was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall and Tanglewood in 2025, and toured in the past two years in Maine and nationally often inviting collaborators such as South African jazz vocalist Vuyo Sotashe, Jazz pianist Chris Pattishall, Grammy Award-winning Attacca Quartet.
Palaver’s programming has been supported by foundations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, the Boston Foundation, and over 30 Maine-based foundations.
Palaver is known for its workshops, masterclasses, and graduate-level courses on Shared Leadership and Community Engagement. We have partnered with organizations such as Maine Children’s Museum & Theater, Mechanics’ Hall, Ithaca College, Peabody Institute, and the Longy School of Music, and look forward to collaborating with the University of Southern Maine and other institutions in Maine.
Fundraising events/opportunities
Attending Palaver ensemble and student performances is an important way to support the organization. Palaver has an extensive list of public performances throughout the year as well as open rehearsals, student recitals, and student chamber community performances. To see the full list of current events, please explore https://www.palaverstrings.org/events.
Giving opportunities
Besides supporting Palaver’s Annual Fund, which supports student scholarships and general operations, consider sponsoring and attending our annual winter Gathering event or becoming an individual or business sponsor of our public performances, community collaborations, and/or Palaver Music Center.
Volunteer Opportunities:
The Palaver Music Center welcomes volunteers for the following supports:
- Music Mentoring: Seeking adults with some music background to help students practice their lessons at the PMC in between their formal lessons.
- Afterschool Snacks: Preparing and dropping off healthy, simple snacks to share with our students in the afternoon at the PMC.
- Hosting Musicians: Throughout the year, Palaver needs safe, comfortable lodging for musicians coming from out of town or far-away locations in Maine during rehearsal weeks and/or concert performances.
