LA Phil Names Thomas Adès, Samara Joy Chairs
Arts administrators and booking agents working with the orchestra will now deal with named chairs for jazz, Latin, and new music.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in People
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The Los Angeles Philharmonic has appointed composer Thomas Adès, singer Silvana Estrada, and jazz vocalist Samara Joy to a reimagined artistic leadership team. Herbie Hancock and John Adams were named Creative Chair Emeritus for Jazz and New Music, respectively, and the team now includes a new Creative Chair for Latin Music.
Why it matters
The orchestra is restructuring its curatorial roles around distinct genres, giving each area a named chair with defined responsibilities for commissioning, programming, and education. For operators in arts administration, donor relations, and talent booking, the move signals how a major Los Angeles institution is allocating leadership and presenting capacity across its venues.
Adams held the New Music chair for 17 years before passing it to Thomas Adès, and Hancock held the jazz chair since 2010 before Samara Joy succeeded him. The Green Umbrella concert series, which Adès will advise, reaches its 40th anniversary in 2027.
The players
Los Angeles Philharmonic
A major Los Angeles orchestra that presents programming at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The Ford.
Thomas Adès
British composer and conductor who succeeds John Adams as the John and Samantha Williams Creative Chair for New Music.
Samara Joy
Grammy-winning jazz vocalist who becomes the orchestra's new Creative Chair for Jazz, succeeding Herbie Hancock.
Silvana Estrada
Mexican singer named the orchestra's first Creative Chair for Latin Music, continuing her work with the YOLA program.
Daniel Harding
Conductor who begins his tenure as the orchestra's Music Director in the 2027/28 season.
The details
Adès will serve as the John and Samantha Williams Creative Chair for New Music and will advise the orchestra on commissioning activities and the Green Umbrella series. Estrada, named the first Creative Chair for Latin Music, will continue her work with the YOLA program and collaborate with guest artists, and the Latin Music chair is generously supported by Alicia Miñana and Rob Lovelace. Joy will oversee the annual jazz series across LA Phil venues, including Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and The Ford, while guiding educational initiatives.
Timeline
2010: Herbie Hancock begins holding the jazz chair position.
2027: The Green Umbrella concert series celebrates its 40th anniversary.
2027/28 season: Daniel Harding begins his tenure as Music Director.
Market Landscape
The appointments follow the Green Umbrella series, which has been the orchestra's dedicated new-music platform for decades. The move to named genre chairs places jazz, Latin, and new music on equal institutional footing within a single orchestra.
Arts administrators and booking agents working with the LA Phil should expect new points of contact for jazz, Latin, and new-music programming. Talent managers may see increased commissioning and education opportunities tied to these named chairs.
The takeaway
Track which of the three new chairs the orchestra begins commissioning under, since that will reveal how the new roles translate into concrete programming budgets. Monitor the Green Umbrella series' 40th-anniversary season in 2027 for signs of how the New Music chair is shaping its lineup.
Further reading
For more context on the people shaping the city's business and cultural institutions, explore People coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
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