“David Charles Abell is the Philly Pops’ new music director,” writes Peter Dobrin in Thursday’s (2/13) Philadelphia Inquirer. “Abell made his Philly Pops debut in 2013 and was named principal guest conductor in 2017. He has developed a close working relationship with the Pops staff, which has now been formalized in an addendum to his current contract making him music director immediately and continuing on with a three-year deal starting July 1.” Todd Ellison, the organization’s music director since July, departed last month. Abell’s “next scheduled appearance in Philadelphia with the Pops is slated for April. ‘He has a tremendous rapport with the audience and with the orchestra,’ said [Pops President and CEO Frank] Giordano…. Abell says his new title means more frequent appearances with the Pops … He will lead four of [next season’s] seven scheduled programs … Abell is somewhat unusual in the field. Most of his work is outside of the Pops realm, including opera…. In fact, his Philly Pops debut in 2013 was his first time conducting any pops orchestra… ‘When I conducted that first Philly Pops Christmas concert, I just loved it. It stretched me in a way I never expected,’ ” he said.
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