Donation Affirms Salonen’s L.A. Commitment

As a gesture to indicate a long-term commitment to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the orchestra’s music director, Esa-Pekka Salonen, has made a personal donation of $100,000 toward the construction of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Announced Tuesday by orchestra managing director Willem Wijnbergen, the gift to the $255-million future home of the Philharmonic is being touted as an antidote to persistent rumors that Salonen may accept an offer from another orchestra.

Salonen, 40, whose Philharmonic contract ends in 2002, is considered to be an attractive candidate for several major orchestras facing the end of multiyear contracts with their current music directors. His youth and talent, said Wijnbergen, make him especially appealing in an environment in which orchestras are seeking ways to bolster declining audiences.

Among those reportedly eyeing Salonen are the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra, which Wijnbergen said in an interview has made a “clear proposal” to Salonen.

Wijnbergen said the conductor’s decision to make this visible show of support comes in response to that offer. A spokeswoman for the Cleveland Orchestra confirmed that music director Christof von Dohnanyi’s contract expires in 2002 but says the orchestra maintains “strict confidentiality on everything pertaining to music director succession.”

“Cleveland has made him a clear proposal, and he has decided not to take it,” Wijnbergen said. “It is important for him that the orchestra knows [where he stands], with so much gossip going around.”

Wijnbergen described the orchestra world as desperate for fresh talent, adding: “Esa-Pekka is not a cookie-cutter, jet-setting, ego-tripping conductor--and now they [orchestras] are facing the need to find new ways to build up audiences, to reinvent the way they do concerts. You need someone with those skills.”

Salonen was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but said in a statement: “I want to express my long-term commitment and gratitude towards my orchestra and the city of Los Angeles by contributing towards Disney Hall.”

Construction of the hall, which is within $5 million of its funding needs, is expected to begin in the late summer or fall.

In a recent Times interview, Salonen said, “My commitment runs through October 2002, when Disney Hall is due to open. It will take a lot to prevent me from being there when it does. It’s a completely new era in so many ways.”

Wijnbergen said that the Philharmonic, in response to the Cleveland overture, did not make Salonen an offer of more money, and the conductor has not yet signed an extension to his current contract. Wijnbergen and the Philharmonic board met with Salonen and reiterated their commitment to accommodate his desire to compose as well as conduct, and to balance work and family. The Philharmonic already had agreed to allow Salonen a yearlong sabbatical to write an opera in 2000.

“He loves being in Los Angeles, he loves to be a father, loves being able to compose, not to overload his schedule with concerts,” Wijnbergen said. “If it is important to him, it should be important to us.”

Times staff writer Elaine Dutka contributed to this report.