This morning, the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced changes and additions to its (ever-expanding) artistic leadership team. The new moves will become effective at the start of the 2027/2028 winter season, coinciding with the launch of incoming Music Director Daniel Harding’s tenure. These include:

• Thomas Adès, Creative Chair for New Music
• Silvana Estrada, Creative Chair for Latin Music
• Samara Joy, Creative Chair for Jazz

John Adams, current Creative Chair for New Music, and Herbie Hancock, current Creative Chair for Jazz, will both receive “Emeritus” appended to their current titles at that time.

The full press release is below. Meanwhile, I have some observations, opinions, and questions . . .

First, let me point out that the press release makes no mention of what the initial length of these appointments are. Whereas the orchestra was clear about the start and end of Mr. Harding’s contract as Music Director and Joe Hisaishi’s contract as Composer-in-Residence for the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford (2027–2032) in press releases announcing those appointments, they are silent on that detail this time. I requested clarification from the orchestra but have not yet received a response.

Next, let’s review who else will have what LA Phil titles at the beginning of the 2027/2028 Walt Disney Concert Hall season (with apologies to the generous donors who’ve made these positions possible and whose names I’ve omitted for clarity):

• Daniel Harding, Music Director
• Esa-Pekka Salonen, Creative Director and Conductor Laureate
• Gustavo Dudamel, Artistic Laureate
• Anna Handler, Conductor-in-Residence
• Emmanuelle Haïm, Artist Collaborator
• Joe Hisaishi, Composer-in-Residence for the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford
• Zubin Mehta, Conductor Emeritus

Adding the 5 Creative Chairs (current and emeriti combined), that’s 12 people with leadership titles. That’s a big chunk. And on a tangential note, what happened with Zubin Mehta? As recently as January of this year, he was given pride of place at the top of the list of “Creative Collaborators.” Now he’s waaaaay down at the bottom, with those 11 people plus Thomas Wilkins (Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Principal Conductor) above him. Hmmmmmmmm.

Now that we know the landscape, let’s talk about the three new people featured in today’s announcement:

Putting Mr. Adès in what is essentially the composer-in-residence position is great. Big fan of both him and the move.

• His subscription series concerts last season — featuring a mix of his stuff with William Marsey’s Man With Limp Wrist, Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini, the Prokofiev, and the Prokofiev 2nd Piano Concerto with no less than Yuja Wang as soloist — were excellent.
• I think he’s a consistently interesting and often compelling interpreter of other people’s music, not just by contemporary composers but also by better-known, more mainstream composers (see Tchaikovsky above). The same cannot be said of Mr. Adams, whose conducting could result in performances that have ranged somewhere between competent and messy; a recent Copland Appalachian Spring is more the latter than the former.
• There was even some mild chatter about Mr. Adès in a caretaker role had Mr. Harding not been given the “big job” nor Mr. Salonen the de facto Principal Conductor role this year. Now it’s not necessary.
• Definitely worth mentioning is that for Mr. Harding’s January 2027 visit to the LA Phil podium, the piece that will open those concerts will be The Exterminating Angel Symphony by Mr. Adès.

Picking Ms. Joy is less obvious yet still interesting.

• The previous jazz chairs (Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, and John Clayton) were established figures, if not outright legends.
• In contrast, Ms. Joy is an up-and-comer, still a few years short of 27 years old, but with 3 Grammy Awards already in tow.
• The role has three primary functions: performing, programming, and recruiting talent to play WDCH and the Hollywood Bowl
• I have no doubts about her performing chops. She’s been on the stage of both venues.
• Programming is a wild card. She certainly doesn’t have experience with a job like this before, so we’ll have to see what she thinks is the right mix of jazz styles, representative works within them, and musicians to perform them.
• Speaking of musicians: it’ll be quite a change shifting from Mr. Hancock, with what has gotta be a monster-sized Rolodex and someone whom seemingly everyone knows or would want to know, to Ms. Joy. For all of her excellence, she just hasn’t been around enough to know as many people as her predecessors. So what does her network look like and how adept will she be at expanding it to meet the needs at WDCH and the Bowl? I guess we’ll see soon enough
• I might have guessed that when it was time to replace Mr. Hancock, they’d pick Kamasi Washington given his status as still young yet better established local boy. Clearly, I was wrong.

Picking Ms. Estrada as the inaugural Creative Chair for Latin Music is an interesting choice. How correct or successful it ends up being will depend on what the role will be.

• When Mr. Dudamel was the de facto Latin music guru during his tenure as Music & Artistic Director of the orchestra, he ostensibly drove the relationships and programming of Latin music as part of the regular WDCH winter season and also at the Bowl.
• Given that both of the other Creative Chairs have a series of their musical assignment to curate, but no such equivalent Latin Music series is mentioned in the official press release below, we’ll have to wait and see how her influence is manifested beyond YOLA.

What’s clear with the selection of both Ms. Estrada and Ms. Joy is a strong desire to inject some Gen Z sensibility into the creative team. I think that in the long term, this will likely have more impact both artistically and fiscally than the non-trivial fact that they’re both women, though that is based much more on gut feeling than any data or tangible metric.

Finally, Lisa Hirsch — writer, publisher, and kind friend of All is Yar — juxtaposes the parallels between the LA Phil’s growing stable of “Artistic Leadership” to the San Francisco Symphony’s short-lived “Collaborative Partners” during Mr. Salonen’s late-lamented tenure as head of that orchestra in a recent post at Iron Tongue of Midnight.

Congratulations and good luck to all three (relative) newcomers, and congratulations and thank you to the two gentlemen stepping into Emeritus roles.

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Photo credits: courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association

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Full press release

LOS ANGELES (November 4, 2026) — Kim Noltemy, LA Phil President & CEO and David C. Bohnett CEO Chair, today announced three new appointments to the LA Phil’s reimagined artistic leadership team, with a lineup of world-renowned artists whose guidance and work will forge an exciting future for the LA Phil. The artistic leadership team taking shape will soon include a full complement of leaders in place for the 2027/28 season, when recently appointed Walt and Lilly Disney Chair, Music Director Daniel Harding begins his tenure. Distinguished contemporary composer and performer Thomas Adès will assume the role of John and Samantha Williams Creative Chair for New Music, succeeding composer and conductor John Adams, who has held the role for 17 years. The artistic leadership team has been broadened to include the new role for Latin Grammy Award-winning artist and singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada as the Creative Chair for Latin Music, generously supported by Alicia Miñana and Rob Lovelace. Grammy Award-winning vocalist Samara Joy will become the new Creative Chair for Jazz, succeeding jazz musician and bandleader Herbie Hancock who has held the position since 2010. Internationally renowned artists and longtime LA Phil leaders, Hancock and Adams will be honored with the respective titles of Creative Chair for Jazz Emeritus and Creative Chair for New Music Emeritus, joining Zubin Mehta, Conductor Emeritus. Daniel Harding said, “One of the many things that drew me to Los Angeles was the opportunity to work with extraordinary artists from many fields and backgrounds alongside an orchestra that has always been willing to take risks. The LA Phil has a remarkable history of questioning conventions, exploring new ideas, and finding new ways to connect music with people. With this creative team and our wonderful orchestra, we will build on that spirit together, respecting the extraordinary traditions we have inherited, but never allowing ourselves to be limited by them. The breadth of knowledge, talent, curiosity, and creativity in this team is astounding and thrilling. I can’t wait to see what we can create together.” Each newly appointed Chair brings a distinctive vision to the LA Phil’s broad spectrum of programming. Adès has a decades-long history with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, not only as a composer but also as a guest conductor at Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. With this appointment, Adès will now advise the LA Phil on commissioning activities, and the groundbreaking Green Umbrella concert series, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2027. Estrada will elevate Latin music traditions across the LA Phil’s venues, deepening the organization’s longstanding support of Latin artists. She will also continue her work with YOLA and collaborate with guest artists, helping advance the LA Phil’s commitment to a more inclusive and expansive musical landscape. Joy brings a new generational voice to the conversation around jazz performance, curation, and artistic innovation. In this role, she will oversee the annual jazz series across the LA Phil’s venues while guiding educational initiatives that connect artists, students and audiences through the evolving traditions of the artform. Noltemy said, “Today marks the culmination of a yearslong vision to bring together an extraordinary group of innovative and inspiring artists who will shape the LA Phil’s future. As stewards of Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford, we have the responsibility and opportunity to serve audiences across three iconic venues, each with its own artistic identity and possibilities. Our new artistic leadership team brings us a remarkable breadth of perspectives and strengths across disciplines, allowing us to imagine new forms of presentation, build unexpected collaborations, and create experiences that challenge, inspire and engage audiences. Perhaps most important of all, this team will amplify the wide range of voices, cultures and genres in Los Angeles.” Previously announced members of the artistic leadership team, led by incoming Music Director Daniel Harding, are Diane and M. David Paul Artistic and Cultural Laureate & the Jane and Michael Eisner Founding Director and Conductor Laureate of YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) Gustavo Dudamel, Judith & Thomas L. Beckmen Creative Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, Ellen and Arnold Zetcher Conductor-in-Residence Anna Handler, Composer-in-Residence Joe Hisaishi, Artist Collaborator Emmanuelle Haïm, Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Thomas Wilkins and Conductor Emeritus Zubin Mehta. With their fellow artistic leaders, they will create projects and programming across the LA Phil venues at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The Ford, bring their vision and guidance to YOLA and imagine new ventures for collaboration and cultural exchange. “For years, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has pointed the way to how a symphony orchestra can thrive both creatively and artistically in our time,” said John Adams. “It’s been my privilege of the past 17 years to serve as Creative Chair for New Music and help guide the orchestra’s unique artistic philosophy which sets the standard for daring and its boldness. Over the course of my residency, I’ve had the opportunity to introduce a new generation of young American composers whose music has stirred the imagination of the Philharmonic’s audiences and proven emphatically that, for all the challenges that our country’s culture faces these days, the locus of creativity for new music is here in America. I leave my position with hope and confidence that the Philharmonic, through its subscription programming and its extraordinary Green Umbrella series, will continue to show to the world how it’s done.” “My time as Creative Chair for Jazz has been filled with memorable collaborations and countless opportunities to share jazz’s ability to exchange ideas across generations. I am proud of the work we’ve done together and look forward to Samara leading us into a new chapter of audiences enjoying all that jazz can bring,” noted Hancock. Adès said, “Some of the most thrilling nights of my musical life have included conducting the LA Phil in Walt Disney Concert Hall and hearing the orchestra bring Dante to life. These experiences showed me that nothing is too ambitious here, and that the audience comes ready to be surprised. I’m honored to join Daniel, Esa-Pekka, Gustavo and this remarkable group of artists in imagining a wildly creative musical future that could only happen in Los Angeles.” “Latin music is not a single sound. To me, it is the soul of an entire continent, an immense and profound richness woven together across generations, with the power to transcend any border,” noted Estrada. “Los Angeles is a city built upon these Latin American stories, stories that have enriched cultures around the world. To me, the LA Phil represents an extraordinary space to tell, celebrate and honor them. As Creative Chair, I want to explore and delve deeper into the infinite beauty that runs through our history, build bridges between generations and create new spaces for the voices of artists who are expanding, transforming and reimagining the ways we tell the world who we are.” “It is an immense honor to follow Herbie Hancock in this role,” said Joy. “Over the course of his career, his creative vision in music has inspired generations of musicians and shown that impact stands the test of time when you put your love of music above all else. With this opportunity, I’m excited to showcase my love for jazz at the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall. I hope to bring the Los Angeles audience a one-of-a-kind musical experience that might give them a chance to fall in love with the music just like I did.”

ABOUT THOMAS ADÈS Thomas Adès is one of the most influential composers, conductors, and pianists of his generation. His acclaimed body of work includes the operas The Tempest and The Exterminating Angel, as well as orchestral and chamber works performed by leading ensembles worldwide. As a conductor, he has led productions at major international institutions including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, La Scala, and Paris Opera. Among his recent works are Dante, Air – Homage to Sibelius, and Aquifer. The world-premiere recording of Dante, performed by Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance.An internationally celebrated pianist and recording artist, Adès has received numerous honors for his recordings and compositions, including the 2023 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award. Renowned for his imaginative musical voice and wide-ranging artistry, he continues to shape contemporary music as both a creator and interpreter. ABOUT SILVANA ESTRADA Silvana Estrada is one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Latin music, blending indie-folk, jazz, and traditional Mexican influences into a deeply intimate and poetic sound. Her 2022 debut, Marchita, earned the Latin Grammy for Best New Artist and widespread acclaim from The New York Times, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone. In 2024 Estrada also earned a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Global Music Performance. Her self-produced Vendrán Suaves Lluvias was No. 3 on Rolling Stone’s 2025 Best Latin albums list and earned six 2026 Latin GRAMMY nominations, including Album, Record and Song of the Year. She has sold out shows internationally and collaborated with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil, Laufey, AURORA, Milo J, and Natalia Lafourcade. In 2025, the GRAMMY Museum and National Sawdust honored her at the Black Orchid Gala as an artist, activist, and cultural trailblazer, joining past honorees David Byrne, Philip Glass, and Esperanza Spalding. Through appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and COLORS, she has continued to build a growing global audience. “The Gen Z, Latin American answer to Joni Mitchell,” wrote Dazed. ABOUT SAMARA JOY Bronx-born vocalist Samara Joy first found her voice singing gospel in church before discovering jazz at SUNY Purchase, where she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The award introduced her to the wider jazz community and marked the beginning of a remarkable ascent. Joy released her self-titled debut album in 2021, followed by her breakout Verve release, Linger Awhile (2022), which earned GRAMMY Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best New Artist. She continued her award-winning run with A Joyful Holiday, which received GRAMMY Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance in 2025. Her acclaimed 2024 album, Portrait, co-produced with Brian Lynch, highlights her artistry as both a vocalist and lyricist through inventive arrangements created with her touring septet. The project earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album and the 2026 GRAMMY for Best Jazz Vocal Album. In October 2026, Joy released her first live recording, Live at the Blue Note L.A., capturing the chemistry, musicianship, and expressive artistry of her acclaimed touring band. ABOUT THE LA PHIL The LA Phil offers live performances, media initiatives, and learning programs that inspire and strengthen communities in Los Angeles and beyond. The Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra is the foundation of the LA Phil’s offerings, which also include a multi-genre, multidisciplinary presenting program and such youth development programs as YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). Performances are offered across four historic venues—Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and Beckmen YOLA Center—as well as through a variety of media platforms. In all its endeavors, the LA Phil seeks to enrich the lives of individuals and communities through musical, artistic and learning experiences that resonate in our world today.