Esa-Pekka Salonen, who spent 17 years as the Los Angeles Philharmonic's music director, will return to the organization in the newly established position of creative director beginning with the 2026-27 season, the organization announced Tuesday.
"Esa-Pekka Salonen is a transformational artist whose vision helped shape the LA Phil into what it has become today," LA Phil President/CEO Kim Noltemy said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have Esa-Pekka join the LA Phil in this historic new role, and we look forward to seeing how his innovative spirit will build on his highly celebrated legacy here and around the world.
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"The addition of a creative director to our artistic team gives us an even greater ability to serve our audiences, bring unparalleled musical experiences to our iconic stages and push the boundaries of what an orchestra can do."
According to the LA Phil, Salonen will conduct and curate roughly six weeks of concerts with the philharmonic, while also focusing on "multi- disciplinary projects, festivals and the innovative programming for which the orchestra is renowned."
Salonen was the philharmonic's music director from 1991-2009, a tenure that included the design and construction of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. He has continued to work with the philharmonic and led programs annually as conductor laureate.
"The first time I ever came to the U.S. was to conduct the LA Phil," Salonen said in a statement. "Coming from Finland, where we tend toward understatement, the LA Phil's bold vision for what an orchestra could mean to a city and to the world was surreal -- a Californian optimism with which I was not familiar. But we understood that an orchestra isn't just about maintaining tradition; it's about pushing boundaries, taking risks. Now, no place has been more central to my artistic life than the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It's an honor and a privilege to continue to work with the musicians and the organization in this new capacity."
Salonen was replaced as music director by Gustavo Dudamel, who will be leaving the LA Phil following the upcoming season to assume a similar role with the New York Philharmonic. His replacement has not yet been chosen.
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