Los Angeles Philharmonic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orchestra
Short name	LA Phil
Founded	1919; 106 years ago (1919)
Location	Los Angeles, United States
Concert hall	Walt Disney Concert Hall Hollywood Bowl
Music director	Gustavo Dudamel

The Los Angeles Philharmonic, often called the 'LA Phil', is a famous American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. They perform concerts from October to June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. In the summer, from July to September, they play at the Hollywood Bowl.

Currently, Gustavo Dudamel is their music director. Other important conductors include Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, and Susanna Mälkki. The orchestra is known for being very modern and always looking for new ideas in music. They are interested in the future of music, not just repeating old performances. Since the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in 2003, the LA Phil has performed many brand-new musical pieces for the very first time.

History of the LA Phil

How the Orchestra Started (1919–1933)

Walter H. Rothwell, the first conductor, and W. A. Clark Jr., who founded the LA Phil.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic was started in 1919 by William Andrews Clark, Jr.. He was a wealthy businessman who loved art and played the violin. He paid for the orchestra himself. He first asked a famous composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff, to be the music director. But Rachmaninoff had just moved and didn't want to move again.

So, Clark chose Walter Henry Rothwell to be the first music director. Rothwell had worked with the famous composer Gustav Mahler. Clark hired many top musicians from other orchestras. The LA Phil played its first concert in the Trinity Auditorium in 1919, just eleven days after their first practice. William Andrews Clark Jr. even sometimes played the violin with the orchestra!

After Rothwell passed away in 1927, Georg Schnéevoigt and Artur Rodziński led the orchestra in the late 1920s.

Saving the Orchestra (1933–1950)

Otto Klemperer became the Music Director in 1933. He was one of many German artists who came to America to escape Nazi Germany. He introduced Los Angeles audiences to new music by composers like Igor Stravinsky. The orchestra liked his leadership.

However, the orchestra faced a big challenge when its founder, William Andrews Clark Jr., died without leaving money to support it. A new group, the Southern California Symphony Association, was formed to help. Its president, Harvey Seeley Mudd, even personally paid Klemperer's salary. Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl also helped bring in much-needed money. This way, the orchestra survived the tough years of the Great Depression.

The Hollywood Bowl, a famous outdoor venue where the LA Phil performs.

After the 1939 summer season, Klemperer had serious health issues. He lost his position as Music Director but still conducted the orchestra sometimes. He led important concerts, like the first LA Phil performance of Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements in 1946.

Alfred Wallenstein became the Music Director in 1943. He had been the youngest member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic when it started in 1919. He was a cellist who later became a conductor. Wallenstein made recordings with famous musicians like Jascha Heifetz and Arthur Rubinstein.

Dorothy Chandler's Impact (1951–1968)

By the mid-1950s, Dorothy Buffum Chandler became a very important leader for the orchestra. She was married to the publisher of the Los Angeles Times. She worked hard to create a new performing arts center for the city, which became the Los Angeles Music Center. This center would be the LA Phil's new home.

Chandler and others wanted a more famous conductor. After Wallenstein left, they hired Eduard van Beinum from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Everyone loved Beinum, but sadly, he passed away in 1959 during a rehearsal.

In 1960, the orchestra signed Georg Solti to be the new music director. He was supposed to start in 1962 and lead the orchestra in its new home, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. But Solti suddenly quit in 1961. He was upset that the orchestra's board didn't ask him before naming 26-year-old Zubin Mehta as assistant conductor. Mehta was then chosen to replace Solti.

Ernest Fleischmann's Time (1969–1997)

In 1969, Ernest Fleischmann became the orchestra's Executive Vice President. During his time, the LA Phil started new and exciting ideas. They created the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society and the New Music Group. These groups were made up of LA Phil musicians but played different types of concerts. Other orchestras around the world later copied these ideas.

When Zubin Mehta left in 1978, Fleischmann convinced Carlo Maria Giulini to become Music Director. Giulini was very well-liked. However, he resigned and returned to Italy when his wife became ill.

In 1985, Fleischmann brought in André Previn. Previn was a conductor who had also worked in Hollywood. While his time was good musically, he often disagreed with Fleischmann. One big disagreement happened when Fleischmann offered Esa-Pekka Salonen a position without asking Previn first. Previn resigned in 1989, and Salonen became the Music Director Designate, officially starting in 1992. Salonen had first conducted the orchestra in 1984.

Under Salonen's leadership, the LA Phil became a very modern and respected orchestra. They traveled to many places, including the Salzburg Festival in Austria, the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, and The Proms in London. During a festival in Paris in 1996, important board members heard the orchestra play in a hall with great sound. This made them even more excited to raise money for the new Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Recent Years (1998–Present)

When Ernest Fleischmann retired in 1998, Willem Wijnbergen became the new Executive Director. He made some changes to the Hollywood Bowl concerts, adding more jazz and world music. However, Wijnbergen left the orchestra in 1999 after a challenging year.

Later that year, Deborah Borda was hired to lead the orchestra. She started in 2000 and became President and CEO. Borda helped the orchestra become financially strong. She is also given a lot of credit for the orchestra's successful move to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. She strongly supported Salonen's artistic ideas. For example, she treated visiting composers like John Adams and Thomas Adès as "hero composers," giving them the same importance as famous performers. This helped bring in large audiences for new music concerts.

On July 13, 2005, Gustavo Dudamel made his first appearance with the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl. In 2007, the orchestra announced that Salonen would leave in 2009, and Dudamel would take over as Music Director. In 2007, the LA Phil also started YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). This program gives free instruments and music lessons to children who might not otherwise have the chance to learn. It's based on a program in Venezuela that helped Dudamel when he was young.

Dudamel officially began as Music Director in 2009. Under his leadership, the LA Phil has won several awards for playing modern music. In 2012, Dudamel and the LA Phil performed all nine of Mahler's symphonies in Los Angeles and Venezuela. This was a huge and impressive musical event. They also started a three-year project to perform famous operas, working with well-known architects and fashion designers for the sets and costumes.

Dudamel and the LA Phil have won several Grammy Awards for their recordings, including for pieces by Brahms, Andrew Norman, and Charles Ives. In 2023, they released a new album called Fandango, featuring music by Alberto Ginastera and a new violin concerto by Arturo Márquez. They performed this music in New York and Mexico City.

In February 2023, the orchestra announced that Dudamel will finish his time as music director at the end of the 2025-2026 season.

Performance Venues

The Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry.

The Hollywood Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater.

The LA Phil played its first season at Trinity Auditorium. In 1920, they moved to the Philharmonic Auditorium. From 1964 to 2003, their main concerts were held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in the Los Angeles Music Center. In 2003, they moved to their current home, the amazing Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. Their "winter season" runs from October to early June.

Since 1922, the orchestra has played outdoor concerts in the summer at the famous Hollywood Bowl. Their "summer season" is from July to September.

The LA Phil also performs in other cities in Southern California, like Santa Barbara and Costa Mesa. They also give free concerts in different parts of Los Angeles County.

Conductors

Music Directors

Georg Solti was offered the job in 1960 but resigned in 1961 before he officially started.

Conductor Laureate

• 2009–present Esa-Pekka Salonen

Before his last concert as Music Director in 2009, the LA Phil named Esa-Pekka Salonen their first Conductor Laureate. This special title shows how thankful they are for his work and that they want to keep working with him. Salonen said he was very honored and that the LA Phil would always be important to him.

Conductor Emeritus

• 2019–present Zubin Mehta

In 2019, Zubin Mehta was given the title Conductor Emeritus. This honored his long history with the orchestra. He hired many musicians during his time and helped the orchestra become famous around the world. Mehta said he was very happy to accept and that the LA Phil holds a special place in his heart.

Principal Guest Conductors

Michael Tilson Thomas and Simon Rattle were both Principal Guest Conductors at the same time.

From 2005 to 2010, the LA Phil also had a special Principal Guest Conductor for the Hollywood Bowl. Leonard Slatkin and Bramwell Tovey held this role.

In 2016, Susanna Mälkki became the orchestra's next Principal Guest Conductor. She was the first woman to hold this important position.

Other Notable Conductors

Many other famous conductors have worked with the LA Phil, including Leonard Bernstein and Pierre Boulez. Also, many composers have conducted their own music with the orchestra, such as Igor Stravinsky and John Williams.

Some Assistant and Associate Conductors of the LA Phil have gone on to have successful careers themselves. These include Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Other Resident Artists

Composers

• 1981–1985: William Kraft
• 1985–1988: John Harbison
• 1987–1989: Rand Steiger
• 1988–2009: Steven Stucky
• 2009–present: John Adams

These composers worked closely with the orchestra, often writing new music for them. Steven Stucky had the longest relationship, working with the orchestra for 21 years. Since 2009, John Adams has been the orchestra's "Creative Chair."

Artistic Director and Creative Chairs for Jazz

• 2002–2006: Dianne Reeves
• 2006–2010: Christian McBride
• 2010–present: Herbie Hancock

These artists help plan jazz concerts and educational programs for the orchestra throughout the year. Dianne Reeves was the first "Creative Chair for Jazz" and even performed at the opening gala of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Herbie Hancock currently holds this position.

Recordings

The LA Phil has made many recordings over the years. In their early days, they recorded with Alfred Wallenstein. Later, they recorded regularly with conductors like Zubin Mehta and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Their recordings have helped them become known around the world.

The orchestra has also played music for movies, like the 1963 film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and the 2021 movie West Side Story. They also performed for the first North American concert of music from the popular video game Final Fantasy. More recently, they recorded the soundtrack for the video game BioShock 2.

Recent World Premieres

The LA Phil is known for performing new music. Here are some of the pieces they have premiered (performed for the very first time) in recent years:

Grammy Award Nominations

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has been nominated for and won several Grammy Awards for their recordings.

Management

Funding

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has a large amount of money saved, called an endowment, which was about $255 million in 2017. In 2002, the Walt and Lilly Disney family gave $25 million to support the music director position. In 2014, David Bohnett donated $20 million to help fund the orchestra's main leadership role and to support new technology.

As of 2019, the LA Phil's yearly budget is around $125 million.

Chief Executives

• 1969–1997: Ernest Fleischmann
• 1998–2000: Willem Wijnbergen
• 2000–2017: Deborah Borda
• 2017–2019: Simon Woods
• 2019–present: Chad Smith

See also

In Spanish: Orquesta Filarmónica de Los Ángeles para niños

• Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
• Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra
• Los Angeles Philharmonic discography