Seattle Symphony announces new CEO after yearlong search
Seattle Symphony announced its new president and CEO Wednesday, filling a position left vacant for more than a year.
Jeremy Rothman, who currently serves as chief artistic officer of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts, will start his position with the Seattle Symphony on Sept. 1. He succeeds former CEO Krishna Thiagarajan, who led the organization through operations and recovery efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic before departing in 2025.
As president and CEO, Rothman will lead the combined strategy and operations of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall, the Symphony's home, ensuring that programming remains accessible and relevant to audiences, according to a Seattle Symphony news release. Rothman was a top candidate for his "visionary arts executive experience," said Susan Coughlin, chair of the Seattle Symphony board of directors, noting that he helped guide the merger of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Center.
Rothman's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the organization, Coughlin said in a phone interview. On Sept. 19, the 2026-27 season will open at a refurbished Benaroya Hall, which is set to complete the final phase of its $20 million renovation project this summer.
"As an institutional leader, (Rothman) will be really important for Seattle as we look to enlarging the tent in the Seattle community, and that's been an aspiration of ours for a long time," Coughlin said. "We've made a lot of progress in that area, and I think he'll move us to the next level in terms of audience engagement and community engagement."
Rothman brings more than 25 years of orchestral management and performing arts leadership experience, and in his current role in Philadelphia oversees a programming portfolio of more than 300 orchestral, theatrical, educational and popular presentations each year across three venues, according to the news release.
Rothman also has a strong working relationship with Seattle Symphony Music Director Xian Zhang, whom he first met in 2005 when she made her subscription concert debut with the New York Philharmonic, Rothman said in a phone interview. They worked on several projects together over the years, including a Grammy-winning album with Time for Three and The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Before Zhang took the helm as music director in September, the Seattle Symphony operated without an artistic lead for three years following the abrupt 2022 departure of former Music Director Thomas Dausgaard. Dausgaard had told The New York Times he felt "not safe," accusing the administration of intimidation and saying the organization was "ruled by fear" - allegations the Symphony denied.
With the search for Thiagarajan's successor, "what we wanted to focus on was being sure that we vetted candidates, that we had strong, enthusiastic candidates that wanted to come to Seattle and be a part of this community," Coughlin said. "I think that our decision with regard to Jeremy speaks loudly to that."
As the new CEO, Rothman hopes to "demystify the performances in our spaces" and create a welcoming environment for audience members of all ages.
"The last thing people should be worrying about is, ‘What do I wear? When do I clap? Is this a place for me?'" Rothman said. "I'm fully committed to ensuring that everything that happens programmatically in the spaces are open and welcoming and relevant to the city of Seattle."
Information from The Seattle Times archives was used in this report.
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