Gustavo Dudamel will leave the L.A. Phil for the N.Y. Philharmonic

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

Gustavo Dudamel, the celebrated conductor who led the Los Angeles Philharmonic to prominence as the nation’s most important orchestra, said Tuesday that he will leave L.A. to join the New York Philharmonic in 2026.

Dudamel said in an interview that the decision to leave when his L.A. Phil contract expires was extremely complex and difficult. He has three seasons remaining as music and artistic director in L.A., he said, and his focus — and heart — will stay here.

But by the end of his L.A. run, Dudamel said, he will be 45 years old and have been music director here for 17 years — the right time for a new challenge.

The New York Philharmonic “is a very different animal, a different situation, and the challenge is very interesting,” said the Venezuelan-born conductor, who also serves as musical director of the Paris Opera. Dudamel said the five-year contract with New York will make his life easier given the city’s proximity to Paris and to his second home, in Madrid, but that’s not why he is seeking this change.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-02-07/gustavo-dudamel-will-leave-the-l-a-phil-for-ny-philharmonic-in-2026

[redstatebluegirl]

1. He is amazing, the NY Philharmonic could use his energy.

[usonian]

2. I remember when he conducted the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra

Simon_Bolivar_Symphony_Orchestra (Wikipedia link)

The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela is a Venezuelan orchestra. Named after the Venezuelan national hero Simón Bolívar, it is the apex of the nation's system of youth orchestras, although by 2011, it was no longer officially a youth orchestra because the average age of the players had risen too high. It was replaced as the national youth orchestra by the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra.

If you've ever heard them, fantastic young performers.