As the 2027/28 season begins, the Los Angeles Philharmonic brings three new artistic leaders to guide musical composition in their fields alongside the recently appointed Walt and Lilly Disney Chair, Music Director Daniel Harding. The John and Samantha Williams Creative Chair for New Music will be filled by composer Thomas Adès, who has previously collaborated with the LA Phil as both a composer and guest conductor. Stewarding the orchestra’s relationship with Latin music is Silvana Estrada, the Creative Chair for Latin Music, while Samara Joy helms the Creative Chair for Jazz. 

Adès, whose previous work with the LA Phil won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance, now leads commissioning activities, as well as the Green Umbrella concert series, a platform for highly experimental works to transform music into something unidentifiable. Meanwhile, Estrada strengthens the bond between the LA Phil and Latin artists to create a more inclusive sound, while also supporting local communities through programs including the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. Similarly, Joy’s involvement with jazz signals the advancement of a new generation in jazz, progress she sustains through educational initiatives that introduce students to jazz. 

The three new appointees build upon the LA Phil’s continued commitment to innovation in classical music, “questioning conventions, exploring new ideas, and finding new ways to connect music with people.” By paving new paths for orchestras, the LA Phil cultivates interest in the genre among the Los Angeles public through unique musical experiences and local outreach, both of which Estrada and Joy seek to foster in their roles. With Los Angeles at the center of the Philharmonic’s identity, Adès, Estrada, and Joy hope to weave together the cultural fabric of the city with its history, laying the foundation for novel music that disrupts the boundaries of orchestra.