NY Philharmonic Names Deborah Borda President and CEO and Bill Thomas Executive Director

New York Philharmonic Board Chairman Oscar S. Schafer, on behalf of the Board of Directors and Music Director Designate Jaap van Zweden, today announced that Deborah Borda has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Philharmonic, to begin on September 15, 2017. Bill Thomas, who currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Philharmonic, will become Executive Director, effective May 1, 2017. Ms. Borda succeeds Matthew VanBesien, who has held the Orchestra's chief administrative post since 2012. She has served as president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2000, having previously served in the same capacity at the New York Philharmonic during the 1990s.

Deborah Borda said: "This is a homecoming for me as a native New Yorker, but, more than that, it is a key transitional moment filled with opportunity to make a difference for one of the great musical organizations of the world - the New York Philharmonic. The major factors that have led me here are my immediate sense of partnership with Jaap van Zweden and our shared belief in forging new ways forward. The passionate commitment of the Board to the future, the remarkable quality of the Orchestra, and the ability to promote the superb and trusted administrator Bill Thomas to the position of Executive Director were all critical to my decision. New York City and Lincoln Center stand at the crossroads of the artistic world and the opportunities for collaboration and partnerships within our vibrant community are thrilling. While embracing this challenging new work, I sincerely wish to express my deepest thanks and admiration for Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic "family," who have been courageous and loving partners over 17 years."

"The search committee and I immediately knew that Deborah Borda was the best and only person to help lead the New York Philharmonic at this pivotal time as we head into an exciting future along with Jaap van Zweden," said Oscar S. Schafer, Chairman of the New York Philharmonic. "She is recognized worldwide as a premier leader in the arts, and her proven track record of bold vision and innovative leadership fits hand in hand with this great city and this great Orchestra. We could not be more thrilled that she has chosen to return to the New York Philharmonic and to her New York home. Alongside Bill Thomas, whose expertise and experience has guided the Philharmonic over 15 years, we look forward to working together in partnership as we lay the groundwork for this Orchestra's next 175 years. I'd like to thank the search committee, especially Jaap van Zweden, for its diligent work during this process, and I would like to again acknowledge and sincerely thank Matthew VanBesien for his leadership and many accomplishments during his tenure these past five years."

The Philharmonic's future Music Director Designate Jaap van Zweden said: "Oscar Schafer's masterful leadership has made the seemingly impossible dream of getting Deborah Borda back to the New York Philharmonic a reality! Her energy and commitment to music is unparalleled, and she has a special passion for community access and inclusion. We are thrilled to be welcoming Deborah back to New York, and I look forward to our partnership in launching a new era. Also, Bill Thomas has been and continues to be a great asset to our institution, and his new role will be vital to the teamwork ahead. Personally, I could not be more thrilled with these two appointments."

Click here for bios of Deborah Borda and Bill Thomas.

About the New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic plays a leading cultural role in New York City, the United States, and the world. This season's projects will connect the Philharmonic with up to 50 million music lovers through live concerts in New York City and on its worldwide tours and residencies; digital recording series; international broadcasts on television, radio, and online; and as a resource through its wide range of education programs and the New York Philharmonic Leon Levy Digital Archives. In the 2016-17 season the New York Philharmonic celebrates its 175th anniversary and Alan Gilbert's farewell season as Music Director. The Orchestra has commissioned and / or premiered works by leading composers from every era since its founding in 1842 - including Dvo?ák's New World Symphony, John Adams's Pulitzer Prize-winning On the Transmigration of Souls, dedicated to the victims of 9/11, and Magnus Lindberg's Piano Concerto No. 2. A resource for its community and the world, the Philharmonic complements its annual free citywide Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, with Philharmonic Free Fridays and wide-ranging education programs, including the famed Young People's Concerts and the New York Philharmonic Global Academy, collaborations with partners worldwide offering training of pre-professional musicians, often alongside performance residencies. The Global Academy was created following the launch of the flagship collaboration with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, forming the Shanghai Orchestra Academy. Additional Global Academy partners include Santa Barbara's Music Academy of the West and The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Renowned around the globe, the Philharmonic has appeared in 432 cities in 63 countries. The oldest American symphony orchestra and one of the oldest in the world, the New York Philharmonic has made more than 2,000 recordings since 1917 and today shares live performances through downloads and online. Music Director Alan Gilbert began his tenure in September 2009, succeeding 20th-century musical giants including Leonard Bernstein, Arturo Toscanini, and Gustav Mahler.