Our History

Founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Robert Paterson and Victoria Paterson, they first launched Lumiere Records with wide market appeal, followed by the award-winning American Modern Recordings (AMR) in 2011.

Live music events soon followed with the Mostly Modern Ensemble (MME, formerly American Modern Ensemble) and a mission to “turn classical music programming on its head.” To this day, AME showcases and celebrates living composers, featuring world premieres in engaging, fun-filled concerts.

In 2018, the Mostly Modern Festival was founded in Saratoga Springs, New York, on the campus of Skidmore College at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. Quickly becoming the “Aspen of the East”, MMF hosts an educational experience for 150 instrumentalists, singers, composers, and conductors. Each year, people from across the globe descend on Saratoga Springs for this unique experience. MMF’s international reputation began in 2021 when MMF The Netherlands was launched. MMF NL is held in historic Holland in Middelburg, Zeeland.

The FAB5, which began during the pandemic, is now active year-round. Its kick-off concert featured a 20-piece string orchestra concert outdoors at Manhattan Plaza, bringing live music back to NYC after months of silence and bringing attention to the thousands of world-class musicians who stayed in the city but were unable to work. Today, FAB5 can be found in concert halls, as well as public spaces, ranging from care facilities and outdoor parks to Chelsea Market NYC to the Oculus World Trade Center.