Los Angeles Philharmonic announces Daniel Harding as next music director

Daniel Harding, a UK-born conductor, will begin as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the 2027/28 season under an initial six-year contract. Gustavo Dudamel will leave the role in August 2026 to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic, while remaining connected to Los Angeles as artistic and cultural laureate. Harding will oversee programming across the organization, including performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Ford, as well as Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. He will conduct eight weeks of programming in his first season, increasing to 12 weeks in later years. The orchestra, founded in 1919, has commissioned major works and won 11 Grammy awards over 14 years for recordings with Dudamel.

"The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that Daniel Harding is to be its next music director. The UK-born Harding, 50, will begin his tenure in the 2027/28 season, with an initial contract for six years. Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra's music director since 2009, leaves the role in August 2026 the Venezuelan conductor is heading east to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic, but he will retain close connections with the Los Angeles orchestra as its artistic and cultural laureate."

"In his new role, Harding will oversee the programming across the organisation, including its presentations at Walt Disney concert hall, the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford, along with Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (Yola). He will conduct eight weeks of programming in his first season, increasing to 12 weeks in subsequent years."

"President and chief executive Kim Noltemy said: We are immensely proud to welcome Daniel Harding as the LA Phil's next music director, following an extensive search led by a committee of our musicians, board and staff. He is greatly admired by the orchestra and was the overwhelming choice based on their feedback. His intellectual curiosity, passion for bringing in and engaging with new audiences, global perspective, and talent for nurturing emerging voices directly align with the LA Phil's mission and vision."

"Making music with the magnificent LA musicians is a thrill and an inspiration, said Harding. Inheriting an orchestra with a tradition that includes Giulini [music director 19781984] and Mehta [19621978] and shaped most recently by Esa-Pekka"

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