“San Diego Symphony music director Jahja Ling, the conductor responsible for rebuilding and revitalizing one of the region’s keystone cultural institutions, is stepping down,” reports James Chute in Friday’s (11/21) San Diego Union-Tribune. “Ling announced to the orchestra’s musicians and board Thursday afternoon that he will conclude what will be a 13-year relationship with the orchestra in 2017. The 63-year-old Ling has worked with the orchestras of the Juilliard School in New York and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and he is music director for [the Indonesia-based] Stephen Tong Evangelistic Ministries International…. Of the [symphony’s] 80 musicians, 45 have been hired by Ling, including most of the principal positions…. Under Ling and [former executive director Edward ‘Ward’] Gill, the orchestra expanded the number and diversity of its concerts and its budget grew to $21 million, making it San Diego’s second-largest arts institution, just behind the Old Globe Theatre. Martha Gilmer, the orchestra’s new CEO, said the orchestra will be forming a search committee and bringing in guest conductors over the next two years who may be potential music director candidates…. Ling will be given the title of conductor laureate and Gilmer said she expected that he would remain a regular guest conductor.”
Posted November 21, 2014
Pictured: Jahja Ling and the San Diego Symphony perform at Carnegie Hall, 2013.
