Close-season signings

Close-season signings

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norman lebrecht

May 25, 2010

Quicker than Barcelona with Fabregas or Beckham when a camera’s pointing his way, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has locked its two conductors into long contract renewals. Vladimir Jurowski has signed on til mid-2015 and Yannick Nézét-Séguin til mid-2014.

This is good business all round. The rising Juro, 38, also music director at Glyndebourne, is attracting lots of US interest. Yannick N-S, 35, is music director in Rotterdam and the first Canadian baton to win international attention.

In a boom economy, their agents would be sifting million-dollar bids. But the US orchestral sector is presently catatonic with fear, Europe has caught Greek pneumonia and both young men have still a lot of rep to master before they step up to a major league club.

Better for them to weather the recession in London’s diverse and uniquely competitive musical economy before emerging strengthened into the long-promised recovery. Smart maestros are staying put in 2010. 

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