Ex-LA Phil chief lands top US orchestral job

Ex-LA Phil chief lands top US orchestral job

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norman lebrecht

April 03, 2020

The League of American Orchestras has just named Simon Woods as its next president, succeeding Jesse Rosen in September.

Woods, who left the LA Phil in September last year, will head the Grand Teton Music Festival until the end of August.

Comments

  • David Chambers says:

    Great appointment!

    • SMH says:

      So a guys who’s greatest experience lies with orchestras outside of the AFM now is president of the League of American Orchestras? More union busting on the horizon evidently.

  • TonyF says:

    Well done, Simon

  • Orageuse says:

    Sometimes, I think that orchestra management is the only part of the classical music industry that always experiences growth.

  • Michael B. says:

    It may be a great appointment, but the League of American Orchestras is a totally useless, self-justifying organization that has done absolutely nothing to address the increasing marginalization of classical music in American life.

    • Bruce says:

      Remember, they used to be called the American Symphony Orchestra League. Perhaps the acronym hit a little too close to home… 😛

    • Larry says:

      Has Opera America done anything? How about Chamber Music America or Chorus America?

  • Losing my timing this late.... says:

    Orchestra’s are in dire straits during this pandemic and they announce a new appointment. Awful timing indeed!

    • Brian says:

      Except there was no CEO of the organization. Kind of hard to act on the pandemic fallout if there’s no one in charge.

      • Eric says:

        Jesse Rosen is staying on as CEO until September. It just SEEMS like there’s no CEO as they flounder trying to offer any value to their members in this crisis.

  • Margo Winkler says:

    Happy for Simon

  • SMH says:

    How do these people keep on failing upwards? Meanwhile orchestral musicians are thrown to the wolves across America. The league only serves the interests of administrators, not the people who actually make the music!

  • MacroV says:

    If you actually want to run an orchestra, build an institution, and produce compelling music, I don’t see the appeal of running the LAO (formerly the aptly-named ASOL). But I guess work is work.

    • Eric says:

      The appeal is that the LAO CEO gets a $300k+ salary (same a top orchestra CEOS) but only has to manage a staff of 25 and produce one or two events each year.

  • fflambeau says:

    Notice this person doesn’t stay around long? Usually, that’s not a good sign.

    • Eric says:

      The last CEO was at the League for 25 years. And his father was the LAO (then ASOL) president. LAO CEOs stay around for a long time, but half of their staff quits every year.

  • Chi-chi Nwanoku says:

    Brilliant news.

  • Old Man in the Midwest says:

    He must be good.

    He was only out of work for a month or so.

    Just in time for the Great Depression 2.0

  • Lou says:

    Another middle-aged white man heading the League (insert eye roll). The orchestra industry just doesn’t get it. I’m sure Woods will do well presiding over the League’s continued irrelevance.

  • Harry says:

    Lets just hope there is brilliant music coming out of the Tetons this summer. Sigh.

  • MacroV says:

    I wonder if he’s regretting having left Seattle. He had a good thing going there.

  • Armchair Bard says:

    There’s surely *something* here: those agin the appointment are notably less literate than those for. Just saying.

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