James W. Palermo is the Artistic and General Director of the Grant Park Music Festival. The Festival has expanded during his tenure to offer an eclectic mix of music while highlighting living American composers and offering new and innovative community engagement and education programs. Previously, Palermo was Orchestra Manager of The Louisville Orchestra and served as General Manager of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in southwestern Indiana. A Cleveland native, he received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in trumpet performance from Indiana University. Palermo performed with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra for two seasons, as well as with the Orquesta Sinfonica Del Valle in Cali, Columbia, and throughout Europe.