About Us
The people and purpose behind The Orchestra on the Hill
Our Mission
The Orchestra On The Hill enriches the community by providing opportunities for musicians and other artists to collaborate through professional and innovative orchestral performances. The Orchestra On The Hill encourages youth participation and development while celebrating the natural beauty and rich history of our region.
Our Vision
The Orchestra On The Hill is a regional arts organization based in Ipswich, Massachusetts, devoted to producing interdisciplinary performances featuring the highest professional musicianship as well as performance art. Our mission is to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the North Shore of Massachusetts and beyond through exceptional concerts of orchestral music while showcasing other local artists including the visual arts, dance, poetry, animation and photography. The Orchestra On The Hill performs new music written by local composers in collaboration with visual artists, photographers, poets, dancers and animators providing the audience to experience the arts in unique collaborations. Also, our goal is to encourage developing young artists to continue their craft and to provide a platform for them to showcase their skills and to share this talent with our communities.
Our History
The Orchestra on the Hill, founded in 2007 has its roots as a small string ensemble led by Thomas Palance at The First Church of Ipswich to support Sunday services. The name of the group came from the church’s long-time organist Joann McMahon as the orchestra on town hill. The Group performed music by Albinoni, Bach, Haydn and other mainstays of the classical repertoire. Today the orchestra has evolved into one of the most unique and innovative professional ensembles in New England performing exclusively new compositions, by local composers. Their stable of in-house composers create entirely new concert programs three to five times a year and have performed at prestigious venues such as Shalin Lui in Rockport, MA and The Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA. In addition, the orchestra creates works in collaboration with a variety of artists and arts groups throughout the region.
Thomas Palance
Artistic Director
Thomas is the founder and Artistic Director of The Orchestra on the Hill. His teaching experiences include Assistant Professor at The Berklee College of Music, The Boston Conservatory, Salem State University and The University of New Hampshire. Tom has been a Yamaha Artist since 2000. Tom has been a uniquely versatile trumpet player and conductor for over forty years. Tom served twenty years in the Navy’s premiere band in Washington DC performing at The White House, The Kennedy Center and twenty-two national tours, and has performed for five US presidents as well as other world-wide dignitaries. Tom has been on numerous studio recordings including four of his own releases. As an artistic leader he brought a variety of collaborations to the Boston area such as “Tiento Batu” at Salem State University, “Synergy” at Windover Estate and three “Images” concerts with The Orchestra on The Hill working with dancers, poets, visual artists, and animators. Tom is currently an active composer featuring his music with the orchestra.
Chris Florio
Assistant Artistic Director
Chris Florio is an Ipswich, Mass. resident and award winning composer and performer. His works have been performed by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Metrowest Symphony, the Greater Trenton Symphony, the Berklee Contemporary Orchestra and The Orchestra On The Hill. He has released several albums of his compositions on Passion Records. He has performed and Recorded with Full Metal Revolutionary Jazz ensemble (Drimala Records). Chris has taught game audio, animation and game programming at the New England Institute of Art and lives in Ipswich with his wife Helen, a young terrier, a barn cat and a rescued race horse.