In Sunday’s (2/21) Washington Post, Anne Midgette writes, “Last year, the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic both introduced new, young music directors, Alan Gilbert and Gustavo Dudamel, who were going to bring a new face to their respective organizations. This year, as if to emphasize the similarities, both orchestras held their news conferences for their 2010-11 seasons last week at nearly the same time. It’s easy to see them as a comparison between tradition and the new: between the ‘old money’ of the august New York Phil and the funky arriviste of the orchestra in L.A., which (even before Dudamel) had established its hip quotient with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the spectacular Disney Hall. Now, though, both orchestras are moving on parallel tracks in what appear to be attempts to put their money where their mouths are in terms of bringing each organization into a more active role in the life of its city—and into the 21st century. … The announcements also come as a reminder that the relationship between a music director and his or her orchestra is not a sprint but a long haul, and the real benefits tend to reveal themselves slowly over time.”
Photo of Gustavo Dudamel by Sara Vargas
Posted February 23, 2010
