Last Friday, I put the odds of Daniel Harding becoming the next Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at “75% and climbing.” Well, the odds are at 100% as of this morning. Moments ago, the orchestra announced that Mr. Harding will be its 12th Music Director, officially beginning his tenure with the 2027-28 season, … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced earlier this week that outgoing Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel will be given two new (and rather long) titles when his tenure ends this summer: the Diane and M. David Paul Artistic and Cultural Laureate of the LA Phil and the Jane and Michael Eisner Founding Director and Conductor … Continue reading
Whenever anyone would mention to me that Elim Chan was going to be the next Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, I demurred, replying somewhat quietly that she seemed to have been friendzoned by the local band. Her destination seemed much more likely to be San Francisco or Boston. Yet with the recent implosion … Continue reading
Gustavo Dudamel returns to the the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s podium for his last concerts in Walt Disney Concert Hall as the orchestra’s Music & Artistic Director. That also means that the parade of guest concertmasters vying for one of the two open chairs on first stand continues in earnest (for a review of the candidates … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced today that Anna Handler will become the orchestra’s Conductor-in-Residence. As much as I’ve been able to research, she is the first person to be given that title. Lionel Bringuier had previously been the orchestra’s first-ever “Resident Conductor” after starting as Assistant Conductor and subsequently being elevated to Associate Conductor, eventually … Continue reading
The New York Philharmonic has auditions to fill their vacant Principal Oboe chair over the next few weeks. The musical interwebs has been rife with widespread speculation, consternation, and Kalshi/Polymarket betting (OK, I’m kidding about the last one) around as to whether Ryan Roberts, current holder of the same job with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic released details of their 2026-27 Walt Disney Concert Hall season yesterday, the first without Gustavo Dudamel as Music & Artistic Director and with Esa-Pekka Salonen in his new job as Creative Director (on top of his extant Conductor Laureate title). The press release is HERE. A full chronological schedule is HERE. … Continue reading
Earlier this year, when the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced auditions for Assistant Principal and Section Percussion, I thought two things were possible: The auditions were for a single open position to replace Perry Dreiman, section percussionist who retired last year and who often played as acting principal. The auditions were for two separate positions, meaning … Continue reading
Yesterday, in Part 1 of the latest edition of this ongoing series, I discussed efforts to fill double-digit openings in the strings sections of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. While the sheer number of strings vacancies is more than double those in the rest of the orchestra, the absence of single woodwind, brass, or percussion players … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2025/26 indoor season kicks off tonight at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the final one of Gustavo Dudamel’s tenure before he decamps for New York. The program includes the world premiere of Ellen Reid’s Earth Between Oceans and Strauss’s An Alpine Symphony (which of course is actually a tone poem, not a … Continue reading
Last year, when I wrote this piece about the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s search for a new Music Director once Gustavo Dudamel’s tenure ends in 2026, I said, “If I ruled the world, I’d put Esa-Pekka Salonen mostly in charge while I took my time to find the right permanent replacement.” Turns out, I’m not the … Continue reading
One of the Southern California orchestras looking for a new leader found their person. This past Wednesday at Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Pacific Symphony officially introduced Alexander Shelley as their next Artistic & Music Director. He will serve as Music Director Designate for the 2025-26 season and officially take the post in Fall of 2026, … Continue reading
Geez, I step away from covering classical music for a few months, and things decide to go crazy! First, in early February, Gustavo Dudamel announced that at the end of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2025-2026 season, he’d decamp for that “other” Philharmonic in New York. Then, last month, LA Phil CEO Chad Smith made his … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic held open auditions earlier this week for a new “Assistant Principal Timpani / Section Percussion” player. Continue reading
I hate to say that I told you so, but I told you so. Continue reading
All is Yar 