Festival History

Pelham Music Festival was founded in 2003 by Bob and Lauren Eicher, in partnership with a group of sponsors including Steinway & Sons, McClellan Real Estate, and Meridian Risk Management. Their vision was to create an opportunity for their children to perform in front of a large and appreciative audience, thus motivating them to practice and stay involved in music – and so the festival was born.

Since then, it has evolved and expanded to include recitals at local healthcare facilities, allowing performers to give back to their community; scholarship support; a wide range of instruments; interlude performances by professional musicians and alumni; on-site photo studio; and, in some years, a “Finale Concert” for graduating seniors in exalted venues like the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Steinway Hall.

In recent years, we have welcomed increasing participation by the Pelham Public School music groups, from elementary band, orchestra, voice, and recorder groups, to high school jazz band, string orchestra, chamber chorus, and AcaPelicans, in addition to student-organized ensembles.

To learn about Pelham Music Festival support of Songcatchers in New Rochelle, please click here.

Registration Fees cover only part of our expenses. Please consider making a donation to support our work. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law, and greatly appreciated.

PMF Founder, Bob Eicher
IMAGES FROM THE ARCHIVES…