In the first of a series of “Inside the LA Philharmonic” articles in the Los Angeles Times, Jeffrey Fleishman writes on Sunday (2/8), “In her 15 years as the L.A. Phil’s president and chief executive, Deborah Borda has presided over the opening of Disney Hall, amassed the largest budget of any U.S. symphony and instilled a corporate savviness that has increased the orchestra’s endowment nearly fivefold to $222 million…. Her key accomplishment has been to keep the Phil relevant—and prosperous [while appealing to] an on-demand young generation that prefers a la carte programming with a contemporary edge.… Her inner circle includes [Music Director Gustavo] Dudamel, Chief Operating Officer Gail Samuel, who oversees the Hollywood Bowl; Shana Mathur, vice president of marketing and communications; and Chad Smith, vice president of artistic planning.… ‘The L.A. Phil epitomizes a lively, vibrant orchestra that people want to be around,’ said Jesse Rosen, head of the New York-based League of American Orchestras. ‘It feels fresh, of the moment, very L.A.’ ” In the article, Borda says when she arrived in 2000 the orchestra “had been running significant deficits for a number of years. ‘It’s not rocket science,’ said Borda. ‘You have to control your expenses and income.’ ”
Posted February 9, 2015
