Exec exodus starts at NY Phil
NewsThe first of Deborah Borda’s team to jump ship is the NY Phil managing director Isaac Thompson.
He’s off to become President and CEO of the Oregon Symphony,where the music director is David Danzmayr. He starts there in October.
At the NY Phil Thompsson ‘served as the executive lead on the Philharmonic’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. He was integral in the planning of the New York Philharmonic’s inaugural season in the newly renovated David Geffen Hall and served on the search committee that resulted in the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel as Music Director.’
Still, a fellow can get bored with New York.
Congrats to Isaac.
He and I first met when he was a graduate student at the University of Texas and I was a guest lecturer. It was there that I found out about his Twin-Cities roots . Isaac has had a fine career and is also a very good cellist.
All the best to him as he takes on his first CEO position with an Orchestra that I managed, many years ago ( 1972-78 ) .
Wonderful to read about Isaac, and you comments as well.. if and when you are ever in Texas, come to visit Festival Hill at Round Top. All best wishes! James Dick
It’s pretty common for an executive (or a musician) to leave a second-level job in a major institution to take the top post in a slightly lesser one. Doesn’t mean that Deborah Borda’s team is fleeing the New York Philharmonic. In fact, it’s a testament to the quality of the people she brought into management that they’re being sought and hired for top jobs elsewhere.
That last line of yours; perhaps it’s just too unsafe to walk the streets of NYC at night these days. That would be a deal-breaker. My sister is a NYC fan girl and she recently returned and said “never again; I cannot be running at breakneck speed anymore home to my apartment from the subway”.
Well done guys and girls.
That’s almost a laughable caricature of NYC (in the 1970s?). I’ve lived here for 25 years and have never once felt the need to run from the subway (from what?), perhaps except if I’m about to miss a favorite TV show or be late to dinner.
Then she should move to a nicer neighborhood in the city
Unless you walk the walk, best not to repeat one-time tourist experiences like your sister’s. I’ve lived for extended periods (years) in many of the major capitals of Europe over the past 40 years, while maintaining a home base in Manhattan, and every time I return I realize that NYC offers a lifestyle not available in other places.
To each his own.
Great guy – Oregon is lucky to have him. Wonderful things in store I’m sure.
Good opportunity for G Ginstling to build his own team in the Big Apple.
Kudos to all who worked to open the new Geffen, and to draw in the Dude. Very exciting future.
And a fellow can get bored with all the NY bashing on this website.
Going ahead with the good work from coast to coast…
Bravo Isaac!
Seems like a good opportunity to me. I wish this young man great success. We need good leaders in this field.
Good riddance!
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
He sure showed his true colors to his colleagues in NY…we’re not sorry to see him go.