In Sunday’s (3/17) San Diego Union-Tribune, James Chute writes, “The 2013-14 season is a landmark for the San Diego Symphony, with the orchestra’s debut in New York’s Carnegie Hall and a weeklong tour of China that is its first venture outside North America. Those concerts are of considerable significance, especially to music director Jahja Ling. The only conductor of Chinese descent leading a major American orchestra, he has frequently conducted in China and is excited about showing off ‘his orchestra’ there. Also important to Ling, who marks his 10th anniversary as music director with the 2013-14 season, is a concert he won’t be conducting. One of Ling’s mentors, the veteran maestro Christoph von Dohnányi, will guest conduct the San Diego Symphony for the first time April 25 and 26, 2014. … Edward ‘Ward’ Gill, the orchestra’s chief executive officer, said Ling has achieved ‘a level of consistent excellence’ with the orchestra. When Ling’s contract came up for renewal last year, Gill and the orchestra’s board of directors gave him an open-ended contract that essentially allows him to stay as long as he wants.” The orchestra will make its Carnegie Hall debut October 29, with a program that includes a new commissioned work from David Bruce.
Posted March 18, 2013
