American conductor Lorin Maazel is to leave the post of music director at the Munich Philharmonic a year early due to ill health.
Maazel, 84, made a statement yesterday (Thursday 12 June) announcing his immediate resignation from the role.
‘I would like to thank the literally millions of fans who have, upon hearing of some of my health difficulties I have experienced recently, redoubled requests of my services as conductor, such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, London’s Philharmonia et al,’ he said.
He continued: ‘I believe I have always acted as a responsible professional person and have been encouraged by my doctors that I should be fit as a conductor to take up my duties starting the Season following 2014-15, which does not exclude occasional appearances along the way.’
He concluded by saying: ‘with a heavy heart I am obliged to give up my position as music director of one of the finest orchestras in the world, the Munich Philharmonic, in my third and last season, 2014-15.’
Lorin Maazel has been the music director of Munich Philharmonic since 2012 and before that held the same position at the New York Philharmonic from 2002 to 2009.
Maazel plans to return to conducting after a year’s break.