LA Phil loses star principal

We hear that Ramon Ortega has left his position as principal oboe with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Ramon, principal of Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich for nine years, deliberated long and hard before accepting the post a year ago. When he finally decided to leave one of Europe’s top orchestra for the Dudamel-Disney hall, the reason he gave was that the LA Phil was more adventurous, less tradition-bound than Bavaria.

Evidently, that has not worked out.

The LA Phil has posted his seat as vacant.

At the time of his appointment, there was much dissent expressed on oboe sites over the abandonment of an American tradition, fostered by DeLancie and Tabuteau, for a modern European sound.

Word on the vine is that Ramon is returning to his Munich position.