The Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced that British-born conductor Daniel Harding will become its next music director, succeeding Gustavo Dudamel. Harding, 50, will begin his tenure in the 2027/28 season with an initial six-year contract. Dudamel, who has led the orchestra since 2009, will step down in August 2026 to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic, while remaining connected to LA as artistic and cultural laureate.
Harding's Role and Responsibilities
In his new position, Harding will oversee programming across the organization, including performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Ford, and Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (Yola). He will conduct eight weeks of programming in his first season, increasing to 12 weeks in subsequent years.
Orchestra's Legacy and Achievements
The LA Philharmonic, founded in 1919, has commissioned and premiered works by composers such as Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Lutosławski, and John Adams. Under Dudamel, the orchestra has won 11 Grammy awards for recordings over the past 14 years.
Reactions from Leadership
President and CEO Kim Noltemy expressed pride in welcoming Harding, noting that he was the overwhelming choice based on feedback from musicians, board, and staff. She highlighted his intellectual curiosity, passion for engaging new audiences, global perspective, and talent for nurturing emerging voices as aligning with the LA Phil's mission.
Harding's Statement
Harding described making music with the LA musicians as "a thrill and an inspiration," and called inheriting an orchestra with a tradition including Giulini, Mehta, Salonen, and Dudamel "an extraordinary gift." He expressed excitement for what they will discover and create together.
Harding's Background
Born in Oxford in 1975, Harding caught the attention of Simon Rattle as a teenager, becoming his assistant at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. At 21, he joined the Berlin Philharmonic as Claudio Abbado's assistant and became the youngest ever conductor in Proms history. His career includes 19 years with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, over two decades with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (which he helped found), and principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2007 to 2017. He has long-standing relationships with the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw, and Vienna Philharmonic, and is a renowned opera conductor with acclaimed productions at La Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Royal Opera House, and festivals in Aix-en-Provence and Salzburg.
Current and Past Engagements
Harding is currently music director of Rome's Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. In the US, he has appeared with the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony. He first conducted the LA Phil in 1997 at the Ojai music festival.
Harding's Double Life as a Pilot
Harding is also a qualified airline pilot and has been flying Airbuses for Air France. He told the Guardian in 2022 that his dual career allows him to take risks in concerts because it's safe to do so, and that working for Air France has taught him about teamwork and himself, providing insights he hadn't gained in 29 years as a conductor.
Musicians' and Colleagues' Praise
John Lofton, bass trombonist and search committee member, praised Harding's focus, musical insight, clarity, and respect for the orchestra. Dudamel expressed confidence that the LA Phil's brilliance and talent will be in good hands under Harding's leadership. Former music director Salonen called Harding one of the most important conductors of our time and hoped Los Angeles' beauty and openness would be transformative for him.
Upcoming Performances
As music director designate, Harding will conduct the LA Phil in November 2026 and January 2027, with programs including Brahms, Bernstein's Jeremiah symphony, Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra, and works by contemporary composers Thomas Adès and Betsy Jolas.
