NY Philharmonic Names New Music Director

The New York Philharmonic has just announced its new music director: 40-year-old Alan Gilbert, the son of two Philharmonic musicians, whose contract will begin in 2009 and run for 5 years. The orchestra also appointed the venerable Riccardo Muti, 65, to serve as principal guest conductor after he turned down the position of music director. Gilbert will replace Lorin Maazel, 77, whose contract expires in two years. The choice of Gilbert is, in many ways, a startling one: 42 is a young age for a director of a major orchestra, and the majority of American orchestra leaders over the years have been foreign-born.

The NYPO has been something of an exception, however. Both Leonard Bernstein and Zubin Mehta were young and American-born when they first took the job, and the conductor as distinguished elder statesman has become something of a rarity. Besides, orchestras now realize they must attempt to reach younger audiences. Gilbert's pedigree is impressive: he became chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra in 2000, and has become a regular guest conductor of major orchestras.