Alan Gilbert, a favorite guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic in recent
seasons, has been named the orchestra's new music director. He will succeed Lorin Maazel in 2009.The appointment of Gilbert marks the latest generational shift among American orchestra directors. When he takes over the NY Phil, he will be 42; the departing Maazel will be 79.
Gilbert also will be the first New York native to lead the orchestra and only its third American-born conductor, after Leonard Bernstein and Ureli Corelli Hill, who led the orchestra's first concert in 1842.
The son of two NY Phil violinists, Gilbert currently is chief conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and was music director of the Santa Fe Opera and assistant conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra.
The New York Times story on his appointment:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/music/18phil.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin