Jennifer M. Palmer

Organist / Pianist

Jennifer Palmer has studied piano since she was four, and has achieved certification in the Royal Conservatory of Music.  Her primary piano instructors were Olga Tcherniak and Dr. Pauline Martin.  She has accompanied the International Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Choir, the Faith Lutheran Church Sanctuary Choir, and the St. Clair County Community College(SC4) Choral Union, and assisted the Port Huron High School Theatre Program as rehearsal accompanist and performance keyboardist for the musical production of “Peter Pan”.  For the St. Clair County Community College (SC4) production of “War of the Worlds”, Jennifer provided the live entertainment during commercial breaks.  She has also accompanied several student soloists of SC4 including vocal, marimba and trumpet, as well as providing entertainment at various social functions.  Jennifer provided piano lessons through her Lakeland Music Studio in Port Huron before leaving for school in Denver. 

Jennifer’s interest in the organ developed three years ago and she found herself with the amazing opportunity of studying with composer/organist Calvert Shenk.  Unfortunately, after only a few months of lessons, Mr. Shenk was hospitalized for brain cancer and died in July of 2005.  Jennifer then studied for a short time with Stephanie Nofar, who helped her acquire a part time organ position at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, which she held until August of 2007.  By June of 2006, Jennifer had begun studying with Elaine Shimmel, who studied for her MM and DM at the Eastman School of Music under the instruction of renowned organist, Russell Saunders.  Ms. Shimmel has also been the principle influence in Jennifer’s organ technique and musical expression.

Jennifer is currently studying for a double BM in Organ Performance and Composition under the direction of Dr. Horst Buchholz and Professor William Hill at the Lamont School of Music of the University of Denver.