Gary Ginstling surprisingly quits as New York Philharmonic CEO after 1 year

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Ginstling surprisingly resigned as chief executive officer of the New York Philharmonic on Thursday after one year on the job.

No reason was given for his departure, announced days ahead of Jaap van Zweden’s final performances as music director, at Vail, Colorado, from July 17-20. Ginstling had been with the orchestra during a tour of China that ended July 4.

“It has become clear to me that the institution needs a different type of leadership,” Ginstling said in a statement released by the orchestra.

The orchestra is about to start two years without a music director until Gustavo Dudamel starts in the 2026-27 season.

Deborah Borda, Ginstling’s predecessor, will lead the transition team along with board co-chairs Peter W. May and Oscar L. Tang. The philharmonic’s contract with local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians expires Sept. 20,

Borda was hired as the orchestra’s managing director in 1991, announced her departure in September 1999 to become president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, then returned to the New York orchestra as CEO from 2017 until June 2023.

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In April, Ginstling said he had directed the orchestra to hire Katya Jestin, co-managing partner of the law firm Jenner & Block, to investigate the philharmonic’s culture. That followed a New York Magazine article detailing misconduct allegations against two musicians in 2010. The two, who denied improper conduct, were fired in 2018, then reinstated following a 2020 decision by arbitrator Richard I. Bloch. The two musicians have not been assigned to any orchestra activities since April.

Under Ginstling, the orchestra announced a $40 million gift from Tang and his wife, Agnes Hsu-Tang, in September 2023. The orchestra had a paid capacity of 85% for concerts last season, and ticket revenue rose 6% from 2022-23.

Ginstling, 58, became executive director of Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra in 2017, then joined the New York Philharmonic as executive director in November 2022, when it was announced he would succeed Borda the following July 1.

Borda, who turns 75 on July 15, has been serving as executive adviser to Ginstling and the board. She recruited Dudamel to leave the Los Angeles Philharmonic and become music director in New York starting the 2026-27 season. She also led the fundraising for the $550 million renovation of David Geffen Hall, which reopened in October 2022.