kids encyclopedia robot

Los Angeles Philharmonic facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orchestra
Yunchan Lim with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in concert at the Hollywood Bowl.jpg
Los Angeles Philharmonic concert at the Hollywood Bowl
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 (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. During the summer, from July to September, they play at the Hollywood Bowl.

Gustavo Dudamel is their current Music Director. Other important conductors include Esa-Pekka Salonen (Conductor Laureate) and Zubin Mehta (Conductor Emeritus). The orchestra also has a Composer-in-Residence, John Adams, who helps bring new music to life.

Since the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in 2003, the LA Phil has introduced many new pieces of music. They have performed 57 world premieres and helped create 63 new musical works. This shows their commitment to playing music from today's composers.

History

1919–1933: How the LA Phil Started

Walter Henry Rothwell, W. A. Clark, Jr. 1919 (cropped)
Walter H. Rothwell, the first conductor, and W. A. Clark Jr., who founded the orchestra.

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.

Clark first asked famous composer Sergei Rachmaninoff to lead the orchestra. But Rachmaninoff had just moved to New York and didn't want to move again. So, Clark chose Walter Henry Rothwell as the first music director. Rothwell had worked with the famous composer Gustav Mahler.

The orchestra hired many top musicians from other orchestras. They played their first concert in the Trinity Auditorium in Los Angeles. This was just eleven days after their very first rehearsal! Sometimes, Clark himself would even play the violin with the orchestra.

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

1933–1950: Surviving Tough Times

Otto Klemperer became the Music Director in 1933. He was one of many talented musicians who came to America to escape difficult times in Germany. Klemperer led many first performances for the LA Phil. He introduced Los Angeles audiences to exciting new music by composers like Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. The orchestra played very well under his direction.

However, Klemperer faced personal challenges and health issues. Things became even harder when the founder, William Andrews Clark, Jr., passed away without leaving money to support the orchestra.

To help the orchestra, the Southern California Symphony Association was formed. Its president, Harvey Mudd, personally promised to pay Klemperer's salary. Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl also brought in much-needed money. Because of these efforts, the orchestra survived the Great Depression.

Hollywood bowl and sign
The Hollywood Bowl, a famous outdoor concert venue.

After the 1939 summer season, Klemperer had brain surgery, which affected his face and hearing. He later lost his position as Music Director. However, he still conducted the Philharmonic sometimes. He led important concerts, including the orchestra's first performance of Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements in 1946.

John Barbirolli was offered the Music Director job in 1942 but chose to return to England. The next year, Alfred Wallenstein was chosen to lead the orchestra. He had been the youngest member of the LA Phil when it started in 1919. Wallenstein had been a principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic before becoming a conductor. He led the LA Phil in recordings with famous musicians like Jascha Heifetz and Arthur Rubinstein.

1951–1968: Dorothy Chandler's Impact

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. This center became the Los Angeles Music Center, which would be the Philharmonic's new home.

Chandler also wanted a more famous conductor for the orchestra. After Wallenstein left, she helped hire Eduard van Beinum. He was a top conductor from the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Everyone loved Beinum, but sadly, he had a fatal heart attack during a rehearsal in 1959.

In 1960, the orchestra signed Georg Solti to be the Music Director. He was supposed to start in 1962, when the orchestra would move into the new Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. But in 1961, Solti suddenly resigned. He said 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.

1969–1997: New Ideas and Leaders

In 1969, Ernest Fleischmann became the orchestra's Executive Vice President. During his time, the Philharmonic started new groups like the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society. These groups, made up of the orchestra's own musicians, offered different kinds of concerts. This was a new idea for orchestras at the time.

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

In 1985, Fleischmann brought in André Previn. Previn was a conductor with experience in Hollywood. While Previn's music was good, other conductors like Kurt Sanderling and Simon Rattle were more popular. Previn often disagreed with Fleischmann. One big disagreement was when Fleischmann named Esa-Pekka Salonen as "Principal Guest Conductor" without asking Previn. Previn resigned in 1989. Four months later, Salonen was named Music Director Designate. He officially started in October 1992.

Under Salonen, the Philharmonic became known as a very creative and respected orchestra. They toured around the world and performed at major festivals. During a festival in Paris, key board members heard the orchestra play in a hall with great sound. This inspired them to raise more money for the new Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Music critic Alex Ross said that the LA Phil under Salonen became amazing at playing many different kinds of music. He noted that they could quickly find the right style for each piece.

1998–2009: A New Era and Gustavo Dudamel

In 1998, Fleischmann retired. Willem Wijnbergen became the new Executive Director. He made some changes, like adding more jazz concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. However, he left the orchestra in 1999 after a year of disagreements.

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 stable. She is praised for helping the orchestra move successfully into the Walt Disney Concert Hall. She also supported Salonen's artistic ideas. For example, she treated visiting composers like rock stars, which helped new music concerts become very popular.

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, two years before Dudamel officially started, the LA Phil created YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). YOLA gives free instruments and music lessons to children who might not otherwise afford them. This program is based on "El Sistema," a music training program in Venezuela that helped Dudamel himself when he was a child.

2009–Present: Dudamel's Leadership and Awards

Dudamel officially began his role as Music Director in 2009 with exciting concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Under his leadership, the LA Phil has won several awards for playing new and interesting music.

In 2012, Dudamel and the LA Phil performed all nine of Mahler's symphonies over several weeks. This was a huge and impressive project. That same year, they started a three-year project to perform Mozart operas. Each opera was designed by famous architects and fashion designers, making them unique and visually stunning.

The LA Phil has won many Grammy Awards. In 2012, they won for Best Orchestral Performance for Brahms' Fourth Symphony. They also won in 2020 and 2021 for works by Andrew Norman and Charles Ives. In 2022, they won a Grammy for Best Choral Performance for Mahler's Symphony No. 8. In 2024, they won their fourth Best Orchestral Performance Grammy for Dante by Thomas Adès. In February 2025, they won their fifth Best Orchestral Performance Grammy for Ortiz: Revolución diamantina, featuring music by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz.

In May 2021, after concerts were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LA Phil announced they would perform live again at the Hollywood Bowl. They started with a free concert for essential workers.

In February 2023, the orchestra announced that Dudamel will finish his time as Music Director at the end of the 2025–2026 season. In May 2024, Kim Noltemy was named the orchestra's next president and chief executive officer.

Performance Venues

Walt Disney Concert Hall and surrounding area
The Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl.

The LA Phil first played 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, the orchestra moved to its current home, the amazing Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. Their "winter season" runs from October through early June.

Since 1922, the orchestra has also played outdoor concerts during the summer at the famous Hollywood Bowl. Their official "summer season" is from July through 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

Conductor Emeritus

Principal Guest Conductors

  • Michael Tilson Thomas (1981–1985)
  • Simon Rattle (1981–1994)
  • Leonard Slatkin (Hollywood Bowl, 2005–2007)
  • Bramwell Tovey (Hollywood Bowl, 2008–2010)
  • Susanna Mälkki (2017–2022)

Susanna Mälkki was the first woman to hold the title of Principal Guest Conductor for the orchestra.

Other Notable Conductors

Many other famous conductors have worked with the LA Phil, including Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, and John Williams. Many composers have also conducted their own works with the orchestra.

Some Assistant and Associate Conductors of the LA Phil have gone on to have successful careers themselves.

Other Resident Artists

Composers

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

Steven Stucky had the longest relationship with the orchestra as a composer, lasting 21 years. John Adams is currently the orchestra's "Creative Chair."

Artistic Director and Creative Chairs for Jazz

These artists help plan jazz concerts and educational programs throughout the year. Dianne Reeves was the first "Creative Chair for Jazz."

Recordings

The LA Phil has made many recordings over the years. In the early days, they recorded with conductors like Alfred Wallenstein. They started recording regularly in the 1960s with Zubin Mehta. More recently, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel have led many recordings.

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

Their album Fandango includes live recordings from 2022 and a new violin concerto written for violinist Anne Akiko Meyers.

Awards

  • 2010 & 2011: ASCAP Morton Gould Award for Innovative Programming
  • 2012: ASCAP Award for Programming Contemporary Music

Grammy Awards

Management

Funding

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has a large amount of money saved, called an endowment, which helps support the orchestra. In 2017, it was about $255 million. The Walt and Lilly Disney family gave $25 million in 2002 to support the Music Director position. In 2014, David Bohnett donated $20 million to support the orchestra's top administrative job and create a fund for 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
  • 2024–present: Kim Noltemy (starting July 2024)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Orquesta Filarmónica de Los Ángeles para niños

  • Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
  • Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic discography
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute
kids search engine
Los Angeles Philharmonic Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.