5 October 2011

Philippe Jordan will be Fabio Luisi’s successor

Mailath-Pokorny presents the new Chief Conductor of the Wiener Symphoniker beginning in 2014-15

Beginning with the 2014-15 season, Philippe Jordan, a native of Switzerland, will become the new Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Wiener Symphoniker. Vienna City Councillor for Cultural Affairs Andreas Mailath-Pokorny made the announcement at today’s press conference in City Hall with Rudolf Streicher, President of the Wiener Symphoniker, and Johannes Neubert, the orchestra’s Managing Director, at his side.

Jordan will become the fifteenth Chief Conductor of the historic Wiener Symphoniker, linking him to a line of great conducting figures that includes Fabio Luisi, Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Georges Prêtre. His contract was conluded for five years.

As Mailath-Pokorny put it, “For me, ongoing artistic collaboration with the orchestra and a dynamic, receptive personality were uppermost in the process of selecting the new Chief Conductor.” “And that is why I am more than happy to endorse the orchestra’s recommendation. Philippe Jordan is not only an outstanding musician, but has excellent leadership qualities as well. He stands for progress, moving forward together, and a fresh approach to oft-performed works. He will provide the orchestra with new inspiration and see to it that, in future, the Wiener Symphoniker brilliantly performs its dual role as Vienna’s concert orchestra and the city’s cultural ambassador to centres of musical importance around the world,” the city councillor said, underscoring the cultural and political importance of the decision.

“In Philippe Jordan, we have managed to engage one of the most interesting and sought-after conductors of his generation. Despite his youth, he can already look back on an internationally successful career that has made it possible for him to appear in noteworthy projects with the Wiener Symphoniker on several, prior occasions,” said Rudolf Streicher, President of the Wiener Symphoniker.

“Under Philippe Jordan, the Wiener Symphoniker will be able to build on the world-class standards and renown it has acquired in recent years. Incidentally, Jordan was also the musicians’ number-one choice, so we are all looking forward to working together,” the orchestra’s managing director Johannes Neubert pointed out.

“I am extremely happy that, as Chief Conductor, I will have close ties to this orchestra and the enormous potential that entails. Nine subscription series in Vienna, each comprised of two to three concerts, and two tours are firmly in place for my first season as head of the Wiener Symphoniker. The position of Artistic Director of Vienna’s concert orchestra is the perfect complement to my duties as Music Director of the Paris Opera,” explained Philippe Jordan, who offered an initial preview of his future collaboration with the orchestra.

In the current 2011-12 season, Jordan and the Wiener Symphoniker will present the traditional concerts at the turn of the year, followed by two additional collaborations at the Vienna Musikverein in April 2012.

Download press kit Philippe Jordan designated Chief Conductor 5/10/2011 (PDF)