Salonen's gone!

[oyasumi]

is what we'll be saying in 2009, when he leaves the LA Philharmonic to Gustavo Dudamel, who's 26 now. It's front page news in the Times...Salonen will finally devote more time to composing.

There will be no down period in which this orchestra doesn't have a music director, we go right from one to the other. That's how we do it downtown, Disney Hall-style.

[knight66]

He certainly looks very Hollywood.


I had never heard of him.....

Quote "Dudamel began to win a number of conducting competitions, including the Gustav Mahler conducting competition in Germany.[1] His reputation began to spread, and he was noticed by conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado, who accepted invitations to conduct the Simón Bolívar orchestra in Venezuela.

Dudamel debuted with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among others, in 2005, and also signed a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. In 2006 he appeared with yet more world-class orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. He made his debut at La Scala, Milan with Don Giovanni in November 2006, He will be performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in April 2007; in March 2008 he will appear as guest conductor with the San Francisco Symphony.

Dudamel has been named Principal Conductor of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra as of 2007. He will retain his position with the Simón Bolívar National Youth Orchestra.[2]

It was noted on the April 8th 2007 edition of the Sunday Los Angeles Times that Esa-Pekka Salonen will step down as conductor and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the end of the 2008-2009 season and Gustavo Dudamel will be his successor"

What is his work like???

Mike

[Todd]

What is his work like???

He's a DG artist, with one disc out and one on the way later this year, so perhaps it's time to find out.  Or not.

[Brian]

It's front page news in the Times...

What a neat newspaper to put arts of any kind on the front page!

[Florestan]

Oyasumi, you really scared me! I thought he's gone for good...

[MishaK]

I heard Dudamel live with the CSO last night. Absolutely mindbogglingly magnificent performance of Mahler's 1st. Full review will follow shortly. LAPO is lucky to be getting him. I was hoping CSO would snatch him.

[Greta]

A link to the article by Mark Swed:

Maestro Will Pass Baton to Up-and-Comer in '09

Here's my thread from the old board about this:

Esa-Pekka Salonen Leaving LA Phil?

It seems they have made a fine choice in Dudamel. I have heard nothing but good things about him, and at RMCR those who attended his CSO concert this weekend were blown away (Mahler 1st).

Hehe, in a bit of psychic moment, this what I wrote at RMCR past night and wake up to find this news:

His story sounds quite familiar, doesn't it?

- Prodigiously talented conductor-composer in his mid-20s makes waves
standing in at short notice with the Philharmonia, beginning an active
guest conducting career

- Has acclaimed American debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

- By all accounts, can conduct a hell of a Mahler

- Takes directorship of well-respected Swedish orchestra

And 25 years later...well, you fill in the blank. It's possible, if
he stays just as grounded and fiercely commited to music making. The
parallels are quite striking.

Salonen's term has been an amazing era for the LA Phil and I expect it to continue and flourish under Dudamel. Indeed, I always expected Esa-Pekka leave to as soon as his Philharmonia gig began - he's said in several recent articles he planned to scale back again on the conducting to favor writing. He once said he'd like to beat Mehta's term "even by just a day", he'll be really close! 

Take note - we on this side of the pond have two years to make it to LA to see him, I'm already planning a trip for one of their concerts this fall. I've never even flown anywhere just for a concert, but to see Salonen live, it's worth it!

I'm very happy that he'll be taking more time to write, he has so much to say as a composer, and has part of an opera lying around that is just begging to be finished.

It's exciting news really, though I know it will be hard for L.A. to let him go.

L.A., and fans of Salonen the composer, have many years of great music to look forward to.

[MishaK]

Take note - we on this side of the pond have two years to make it to LA to see him, I'm already planning a trip for one of their concerts this fall. I've never even flown anywhere just for a concert, but to see Salonen live, it's worth it!

I heard Salonen give an excellent performance of Sacre du printemps earlier this seaon with the CSO. it was excellent, but I wasn't quite blown away. The same band gave a more urgent and compelling performance of the same work at Carnegie a few seasons ago under, of all people, Daniel Barenboim.

[oyasumi]

LAPO is lucky to be getting him.

It's not luck. It's skill and foresight. Like the article says, they were the first American orchestra to hire Dudamel. Straight up So-Cal strongstyle. Yea.

[MishaK]

It's not luck. It's skill and foresight. Like the article says, they were the first American orchestra to hire Dudamel. Straight up So-Cal strongstyle. Yea.

That is luck in that t hey were the first to have managed to have a slot to schedule him. Nobody is going to hire a music director sight unheard, so to speak. BTW, he's gonna be busy. The Gothenburg Symphony named him music director a year ago.

[Wanderer]

Oyasumi, you really scared me! I thought he's gone for good...

The thread's title could indeed be interpreted to suggest an untimely demise... 

[Siedler]

Good, he can return to Finland, the new music centre in Helsinki will be ready by then. 

[MishaK]

Good, he can return to Finland, the new music centre in Helsinki will be ready by then. 

Allegedly, he plans to stay in LA and compose. He apparently likes it there (I believe he has a house in Santa Monica). He also says he will continue to regularly appear with the LAPO.

[karlhenning]

And why go to Finland, if you like it in L.A.?

[Harry]

I suppose there is much more space and rest, and you could visit our forum member 71dB!

[Shrunk]

The current (April 30) issue of The New Yorker has an article by Alex Ross on Salonen and his term with the LA Philharmonic.  It sounds like LA music fans have been very fortunate to have him.