Daniel Harding to Lead LA Philharmonic from 2027

Daniel Harding, a British conductor and part-time Air France pilot, has been named the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, taking over from Gustavo Dudamel in 2027. At 50 years old and originally from Oxford, Harding was recognized as a teenage talent by Sir Simon Rattle. He has conducted orchestras in cities such as Rome, Paris, and Stockholm, and spent ten years as the principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. Since 2022, he has been piloting Airbus aircraft for Air France one week each month, a role he will maintain after relocating to LA. Esa-Pekka Salonen, LA Phil's creative director, described Harding as "one of the most important conductors of our time," while chairman Jason Subotky commended his "conducting genius" and community vision. Harding's early education took place at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, followed by mentorship from Rattle at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. By 21, he had already conducted the Berlin Philharmonic and became the youngest conductor in BBC Proms history. He co-founded the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and received a Grammy in 2010 for best opera recording for Britten's Billy Budd with the LSO. Harding will follow in the footsteps of notable British music directors at leading US orchestras, including Sir John Barbirolli and Leopold Stokowski.