The New York Philharmonic, roiled in controversy over allegations of sexual misconduct by two of its players and in the midst of contentious contract negotiations with its musicians, has lost its president and chief executive.
Gary Ginstling, the former National Symphony Orchestra executive director who took over the New York Philharmonic’s chief administrative role last year, has resigned abruptly, saying in a prepared statement that “it has become clear to me that the institution needs a different type of leadership.”
The New York Times’ Javier C. Hernández writes that Gintsling “did not always seem to be on the same page” as Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra’s incoming music director. Gintsling’s predecessor at the philharmonic, Deborah Borda, “remained an influential figure, advising the Philharmonic’s board, and staying in close touch with Dudamel, whom she had recruited in Los Angeles. She assisted with fund-raising and appeared at concerts and galas. She maintained a Philharmonic email address and an assistant. Some in the music world warned that it would not be easy for a newcomer to operate in her shadow.”
Borda and two leaders of the philharmonic’s board, will form “a transition team” after Ginstling’s resignation, Hernández reports: