Thomas Dausgaard leads the Seattle Symphony in a pre-pandemic photo. Photo: Brandon Patoc.
“Seattle Symphony Music Director Thomas Dausgaard has abruptly stepped down from his post,” writes Gavin Borchert in Friday’s (1/7) Seattle Times. “Dausgaard’s last day with the Symphony was earlier this week; he conveyed his decision via phone call from his home in Denmark to Seattle Symphony board chair Jon Rosen.” Dausgaard became the orchestra’s principal guest conductor in 2014 and was named music director in 2019. “The Danish conductor had only been back in person with the Symphony for a concert less than two months ago, after pandemic-related travel restrictions had kept him away for some 20 months…. Dausgaard is leaving ahead of his originally planned final season in 2022-23…. Seattle Symphony says it’s arranging for guest conductors to step in and that programming updates for the current season will be announced shortly. ‘The pandemic has been a time of great challenge and self-reflection for us all, and so we understand and respect his decision,’ Seattle Symphony President and CEO Krishna Thiagarajan said…. Dausgaard was unable to physically be with the Symphony, as visa issues related to pandemic travel restrictions kept him out of the country…. Dausgaard finally was able to rejoin the Symphony in person for a Nov. 11 concert.”
