BSO’s Andris Nelsons to end music director tenure in 2027

“I have been informed that the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Trustees has decided to end my appointment,” Nelsons wrote to BSO staff and musicians in a letter obtained by the Globe. This “is not the decision I anticipated or wanted.”

The blunt dismissal comes as a major shock from the BSO, an organization that normally seeks to project an air of decorum, stability, and orderly succession.

The BSO statement provided no details about why it’s cutting Nelsons loose, adding that we “look forward to properly celebrating and honoring his tenure throughout the 2026-2027 season.”

A BSO spokesperson said the statement “is the only information we are able to share regarding this matter.”

A Latvian native, Nelsons first appeared with the BSO in 2011, when he stepped in as a last-minute substitute for then-music director James Levine at Carnegie Hall. He was appointed music director designate in the spring of 2013 and assumed full duties the following year.

Nelsons was a breath of fresh air following Levine, who frequently withdrew from Boston performances, and he was quickly embraced by the orchestra for his kind temperament and deep musicality. Together, they embarked on a robust recording program, winning their fair share of laurels: All told, the orchestra has won six Grammy Awards under Nelsons’ baton, including two just last month.

Even so, Nelsons never established deep roots in Boston proper, including among donors.

He frequently worked with his other ensemble, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, leaving some to think he was overcommitted. He also never became a beloved hometown hero like Seiji Ozawa, who stayed with the BSO for nearly 30 years and drew big crowds to Symphony Hall.

Nelsons’ departure marks yet another seismic change at the orchestra, which was thrust into uncertainty after Gail Samuel abruptly stepped down as the BSO president in late 2022.

Samuel, who came to Boston from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, was at the BSO for just 18 tumultuous months before she resigned. And while the BSO was similarly tight-lipped about her departure, numerous top executives defected during her tenure.

The orchestra looked again to the LA Phil when it hired Smith, a star in the orchestral field who was given a broad mandate to liven up the storied ensemble. At nearly 150 years old, the orchestra is often praised for its playing, but it is also viewed as risk-averse, and it has struggled in recent years to attract younger, more diverse audiences.

Smith, who arrived in 2023, has moved quickly to embed the BSO more fully in the city’s cultural life and collaborate with cultural groups across the city.

“I think that’s why I’m here,” he told the Globe in 2024. “The critical decisions we’re going to make will set us up for the next 50 years.”

But Nelsons, who’s always expressed support for such initiatives, rarely seemed to lead in that arena. Rather, the conductor appeared content to present Eurocentric fare that featured works by established composers such as Beethoven, Bruckner, and Shostakovich.

His artistic choices, as well as his performances, have often drawn a lukewarm reception from critics outside of Boston. Writing earlier this week, a critic at The New York Times described him as “a solicitous micromanager on the podium” during a recent performance at Carnegie Hall.

Close observers maintain that Nelsons hasn’t embraced, or has even resisted, change. Many also took note in 2024 when his agreement with the BSO shifted to a “rolling” contract, causing some to speculate that his days with the orchestra were numbered.

“Is this a sign of trust in a beloved partner,” former Times critic Zachary Woolfe wrote at the time. “Or does it make it simpler for Smith to jettison Nelsons if a better option — a talented conductor in a more progressive mold — comes around?”

In his letter, Nelsons said that he understood the board’s decision “was not related to artistic standards, performances, or achievements during my tenure.”

Therefore, he said, “my focus is straightforward: to protect the music, support the orchestra’s stability, and continue to perform with the musicians of the BSO at the highest artistic level.”

He called his work with the orchestra “extraordinary and irreplaceable gifts” adding: “Our musical journey has been one of the great privileges and joys of my life.”

Malcolm Gay can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @malcolmgay. A.Z. Madonna can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @knitandlisten.