Jeffrey Kahane has left his role as music director of the San Antonio Philharmonic, his publicist said in a Monday morning statement.
The departure of the respected conductor, pianist and educator comes as the orchestra, formed from the ashes of the San Antonio Symphony, finds itself without a regular place to perform and has canceled at least four set of concerts dates since December.
Philharmonic CEO Roberto Treviño was unavailable for immediate comment.
Kahane’s publicist, Katy Solomon of Primo Artists, said he’s not permitted to give interviews about the matter. However, in his statement, the conductor praised the Alamo City and its fans of classical music and said he was thankful for his time with the orchestra.
“I’m deeply grateful for the musical experiences I’ve had with the San Antonio Philharmonic and to the community of music lovers in this wonderful city that I have come to love so much,” said Kahane, who was appointed the Philharmonic’s music director for its inaugural 2024-2025 season.
“Every distinguished guest artist and artistic partner who has worked with the Philharmonic will attest to the power, skill, and beauty of the orchestra’s playing. The archival recordings of our concerts will stand as a lasting testament to the extraordinarily high level of artistic achievement the San Antonio Philharmonic has come to represent.”
The statement did not include any information about Kahane’s future plans.
Kahane joined the San Antonio Philharmonic after a decades-long association with the San Antonio Symphony, which collapsed during a fiery labor dispute.
As musical director of the fledgling organization, he helped shape its artistic identity while supporting it as a “significant donor,” according to his statement. He also formed partnerships with internationally renowned artists who performed as guests during its concerts.
Recent turmoil
However, the San Antonio Philharmonic grappled with many hurdles during Kahane’s tenure.
After trumpeting a deal in October 2024 that would make downtown’s historic Scottish Rite Cathedral its permanent performance space, the masonic lodge that owned the building hit the orchestra with an order to vacate roughly a year later.
Treviño has repeatedly told the Current that the orchestra is negotiating a new deal to play in the hall. However, a legal filing by the Scottish rite accused the orchestra of not making good on a promise to pay $750,000 for repairs on the century-old structure.
Facing a lack of a permanent performance space, the orchestra late last month scrapped its Classics VI | Symphonic Strings concerts scheduled for Feb. 13 and 14. The series was the group’s fourth cancellation since late last year, although one of those — its Holiday Pops shows — were later relocated to Sea World San Antonio.
Kahane served as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for two decades and now is its music director laureate. He’s performed concertos with the New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony along with recitals with classical-music superstars Yo-Yo Ma and Joshua Bell.
Kahane teaches a small class of gifted pianists, coaches chamber music, and occasionally teaches academic courses at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music.
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