London Philharmonic chief departs
mainTimothy Walker will retire this summer after 17 years as Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the LPO.
He’s in his early 60s and he’s citing ‘personal and private reasons.’
It’s a good time to go, with Edward Gardner arriving as new music director and the touring market getting a whole lot tougher after Brexit.
David Burke, presently the Orchestra’s General Manager and Finance Director, will become Chief Executive. The artistic director’s post will be advertised, though they surely don’t need one. It ought to be part of the music director’s remit.
Walker, an Australian, has survived a number of financial crises over a period that was marked by artistic stability, grounded in the long music directorship of Vladimir Jurowski. Walker was made CBE in this month’s New Year’s honours list
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Good riddance! Although I disagree with the 2011 petition that called for the cancellation of a London concert by a certain foreign orchestra, Walker’s treatment of the four LPO-affiliated signatories (the so-called “LPO-4”) was a disgraceful act of totalitarianism. No orchestral player should have to fear for his/her job as a result of exercising his/her rights of free speech, however controversial or offensive the speech in question may be.
Timothy Walker left a bad impression.