Head of Atlanta symphony to lead Philly orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra president and CEO Allison Vulgamore, who has led what has grown into the Southeast’s largest cultural institution since 1993, will assume the same title over the Philadelphia Orchestra beginning Feb. 1.
Vulgamore, who last week told the ASO board she would not accept an extension of her contract here, will sign a two-year deal in Philadelphia, one of the country’s top ensembles, though one that has struggled through a series of financial setbacks.
“It’s an honor for me to join one of the world’s great orchestras,” Vulgamore, 51, told the Philadelphia Inquirer late Wednesday, “but if I did not think I could make a difference, I would not want to come.”
A departure date from the ASO has not been determined, and Vulgamore said she plans to transition into her new job gradually, traveling to Philadelphia and hosting its interim executive director Frank P. Slattery Jr. here.
ASO board chairman Ben Johnson told the AJC that he had been in discussions with search consultants for a new ASO leader, and “there’s certainly a desire to move expeditiously.”
