we play everywhere from concert halls to old barns
A Grammy-nominated, musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit based in Portland, Maine. Our musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices.
We were trained to play behind closed doors, in formal halls, for a select few who already “get it.” Once we saw how powerful music can be in hospitals, classrooms, shelters, and parks, we asked ourselves why we play — and what music is for.
Music warms our hearts and minds. Music meets us where we are. Music thrives in dusty barns and empty warehouses. Music crosses genres and breaks down barriers. Music lifts up unheard voices and untold stories. Music responds to a changing world. Music invites us all in. So come on in.
thirteen musicians. one democratic voice.
Since 2014, Grammy-nominated Palaver Strings has made its mark as one of New England’s most innovative chamber ensembles. Thirteen Co-Artistic Directors curate artistic programming collaboratively and democratically, rotating project direction and musical leadership. Some musicians also hold administrative roles.
Each year Palaver presents a full concert season featuring diverse programming and world-renowned collaborators, and offers music instruction to hundreds of students through the Palaver Music Center.
Recent & Upcoming Engagements
Tanglewood · Carnegie Hall · Newport Classical · National Sawdust · Vizcaya Museum + Gardens
Residencies
Ithaca College · Rockport Music · Longy School of Music · Boston Center for the Arts · Peabody Conservatory · Bay Chamber Concerts
Collaborators & Commissioners
Kinan Azmeh · Attacca Quartet · Nicholas Phan · Farayi Malek · Errollyn Wallen · Kareem Roustom · Sato Matsui
Latest Release
Grammy-nominated. Gramophone's pick of the year.
Featuring Nicholas Phan and Farayi Malek on reimagined American protest songs, Palaver's latest album was praised for its “fresh, galvanizing sound” (Bay Area Reporter) and named one of Gramophone's favorite classical recordings of the year.
why we're called palaver
“Palaver” comes from the term “palaver hut,” a traditional setting for discussion and conflict resolution found in Liberia and other West African countries. Some of our first performances as an ensemble were benefit concerts for the Liberian Education Fund, an organization co-founded by our Managing Director, Maya French.
Maya and her peers worked together to raise funds for high school and college scholarships for Liberian students, traveling to Liberia several times and creating powerful personal connections that continue to this day. Through these friendships, Maya learned about the tradition of the palaver hut, and we were all inspired by the concept as we built our own container for creative collaboration.
While our organization operates in a very different cultural context, the concept of the palaver hut still resonates strongly with our vision. When Maya proposed the name “Palaver Strings,” our friends in Liberia gave us their blessing, and we continue to communicate about what it means to claim this name. In an age of appropriation and commodification of indigenous cultural practices, we hope to honor our early collaboration with LEF.
How We Work
There is no single artistic director.
As a musician-led ensemble, Palaver operates collaboratively and democratically, with thirteen Co-Artistic Directors sharing musical and administrative leadership. Our adventurous musical programming is shaped directly by individual musicians, who bring their unique interests and experiences to the table.
We all share a passion for expanding the possibilities of the string orchestra medium, embracing cross-genre projects, unconventional venues, new commissions and arrangements, and community collaborations. Palaver uses music to address social justice issues, promote education and dialogue, and amplify underrepresented voices.
The Music Center
an expression of the mission
Equally committed to education, Palaver launched the Palaver Music Center in 2019. PMC programs offer pathways to musical development from birth through adulthood, including Early Childhood Music classes and string instrument lessons taught by Palaver musicians. Our programs seek to address inequities in access to music education, serving Portland families of diverse backgrounds. PMC sits in the Bayside neighborhood where many of our students live, and serves as a central community hub for classes, lessons, and rehearsals.
Visit the Music Center60%
qualify for low-income subsidies
55%
are first-generation immigrants