It has been announced today that Dame Kathryn McDowell will retire as Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra a year from now.
She has been in the job for two decades, with three music directors – Gergiev, Rattle and Pappano – each requiring different skill sets.
McDowell has been assiduous, colourless, uncomplicated, maintaining the LSO’s status as London’s swagger orchestra. Her one misjudgement was the hapless proposal to build a new concert hall, away from the Barbican.
She says: ‘It has been a huge privilege to hold this position for twenty years, and I feel the time is right to hand over to someone who can shape and develop this wonderful Orchestra in all its facets for the decades to come, whilst giving me an opportunity to explore other interests.
‘I am deeply grateful for the support of LSO musicians, staff colleagues, artists and composers, board members and advisers, patrons, funding partners, audiences and colleagues across the cultural sector, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in the 12 months ahead. It has been a constant pleasure throughout my tenure to hear the LSO perform at home and abroad, and to see the impact of the LSO’s music-making on our audiences and participants.’
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