Conductor Gustavo Dudamel calls move to New York Philharmonic 'a dream come true'

As a child, Gustavo Dudamel said he listened to recordings of the New York Philharmonic and "conducted" along to them. Now, he says, it's "a dream come true" to be joining as music director.

"Life has been very generous to me, giving me the opportunity to have this wonderful family -- the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, the Gothenburg Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic -- and now, a new family, the New York Philharmonic," Dudamel said Monday at a press conference at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall.

The celebrated Venezuelan conductor will begin his run in New York in the 2026-27 season, ending a run with the Los Angeles Philharmonic that began in 2009. This appointment follows concentrated -- and clandestine -- efforts by New York to get him to agree, which apparently involved secret meetings in cities around the world outside of Los Angeles, spearheaded doggedly by CEO Deborah Borda, who was also the one to hire Dudamel for the LA Philharmonic when she was CEO there.

"Our musicians made it clear there was only one candidate to pursue," said Oscar Tang, NY Philharmonic co-chairman.

Musicians in the audience at the press conference beamed as Dudamel, 42, was introduced, pointing to their excitement to have him onboard.

"I don't know how many of you know this, but to get an entire orchestra of musicians to feel unanimous about anything is basically impossible," joked principal trumpet Christopher Martin, who co-chaired the music director search committee. "But in this case, our orchestra was unanimous that Gustavo Dudamel should be -- had to be -- our next music director."

Dudamel returned the love to the musicians of the New York Philharmonic, giving them ample praise for their artistry and saying "the reality is that the conductor is nothing without the orchestra."

The conductor first performed with the New York Philharmonic in 2007 as a rising star. He said he's evolved since then but considers himself a "risk-taker," saying "that wild animal Gustavo is always there -- only with less hair."

Dudamel did not give many specific hints about what programming New York audiences can expect or if he'll continue work with children's music education like what he led in LA, instead leaving room for "flexibility" as he comes in.

But he did speak to what he sees as the importance of a city's orchestra.

"It's not only, ah, we have an amazing orchestra that plays beautifully -- that is wonderful, but an orchestra that transforms the community and people feel that is their identity, that is something important," he said.

New York Philharmonic officials indicated they hope Dudamel, as an energetic, popular conductor and South American immigrant, will bring in a new era for the institution. Co-chairman Peter May said "he'll attract more diverse, younger audiences and patrons" and that "he has the imagination that will take the New York Philharmonic much further along in our journey to be the true orchestra of the 21st century."

"This wonderful hall has been intentionally opened up to our neighbors, and it seems only fitting that Gustavo will be able to bring us all together here as a force to democratize classical music's appeal," Tang said.

Dudamel is the first Latino person to head the New York Philharmonic, and in Spanish he said while he's proud of that, he believes he represents many people who make a living through music, and he hopes he is a vision to young people that dreams can always come true if you work hard, deeply, with a lot of discipline and a lot of love.

Dudamel said he, his wife and son look forward to making the move in a few years.

"New York has a special, energetical, cultural vibe that can enrich my soul, my spirit as an artist and as a citizen of the world," he said.

And as to the all-important question: Yankees or Mets? The baseball fan is staying loyal to the Dodgers.