Gustavo Dudamel officially began his tenure as the 27th music director of the New York Philharmonic this month, marking a new chapter for the historic orchestra. Dudamel, who previously led the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 17 seasons, succeeds Jaap van Zweden, who stepped down in 2024 after six years at the helm.
The start of Dudamel’s leadership has been accompanied by a visible promotional campaign across New York City, highlighting a theme of inclusivity and renewal. The phrase “Our New Era Starts Now” has been featured on posters citywide, underscoring Dudamel’s reputation for fostering connection and community in his programming.
On September 10, Dudamel and the Philharmonic appeared at Radio City Music Hall for their second performance of the year there. This event, led by Dudamel shortly after he officially began his directorship, included a diverse lineup of guest artists such as Broadway star Aaron Tveit, indie rocker St. Vincent, and rapper and flutist Lizzo. Critics noted the program’s broad range brought both high energy and a somewhat scattered feel.
The following day, Dudamel led the Philharmonic’s string section in a solemn 9/11 memorial at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The conductor delivered brief remarks and performed Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” offering a contrast to the previous evening’s lively show.
The most significant event of Dudamel’s early days with the orchestra came on September 15 with his inaugural subscription concert at David Geffen Hall. The program featured three works that, at first glance, appeared stylistically diverse: John Adams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “On the Transmigration of Souls,” a new composition titled “Invisible House” by Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri, and Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5.
The choices reflected a blend of memorial, contemporary innovation, and classical legacy. Adams’s piece, composed in 2002 as a tribute to 9/11 victims, incorporates choral elements, prerecorded soundscapes, and the naming of 78 individuals killed in the attacks, balancing intensity with intimacy. Di Castri’s “Invisible House,” co-commissioned by both the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, is an approximately 15-minute work featuring unconventional instruments—including a motorized vibraphone and ratchet—and draws inspiration from poet Ilya Kaminsky and the composer’s Ukrainian heritage. Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, composed during World War II and linked by geographical and historical threads to the other two works, is a lasting staple of the orchestral repertory.
Dudamel’s conducting throughout the concert was noted for its vigorous commitment, eliciting responsive and nuanced performances from the orchestra. David Geffen Hall showcased a range of expressive colors and textures under his direction, signaling a potential new era of artistic exploration and engagement for the New York Philharmonic.