Wednesday (6/2) on the Los Angeles Times blog Culture Monster, Mike Boehm reports, “Pasadena Symphony and Pops announced Wednesday that it has hired an artistic advisor—and, for two October concerts, a conductor—in James DePreist, who led the Oregon Symphony for more than 20 years and is current director of conducting and orchestral studies at the Juilliard School in New York City. … DePreist will conduct the Pasadena Symphony Oct. 23 in its first two concerts at its new home, the Ambassador Auditorium. But Paul Jan Zdunek, the orchestras’ chief executive, said DePreist is not a successor to Jorge Mester, whose 25-year tenure as music director ended last month amid conflicting accounts as to whether he had cut off contract negotiations and resigned, or been fired even after offering to take a substantial cut from a salary in the low $200,000s. Zdunek said that DePreist will advise on picking guest conductors for three of the other four classical concert programs for 2010-11 and probably for at least another season beyond that. Instead of beginning a formal search for a new music director, Zdunek said, the plan is to work with a series of guest conductors, with no strict timetable for designating a music director.”
Posted June 3, 2010
