New York Philharmonic Receives $40M Donation

The donation is the largest of its kind in the company’s history.

Photo courtesy of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Oscar L. Tang, the New York Philharmonic’s chairman, and his wife, art historian and archaeologist Dr. H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang, donated $40 million to endow a chair for Gustavo Dudamel. Dudamel becomes Music Director Designate in 2025 and Music Director of the Philharmonic in the 2026/27 season.

The Why

Oscar and Agnes Hsu-Tang described coming to New York City during the Golden Age of the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. The Hsu-Tangs believe Dudamel, along with the new President and CEO Gary Ginstling, will take the orchestra into another Golden Age.

Gary Ginstling joined the New York Philharmonic as CEO in July 2023 after a strong history of fundraising, increasing ticket sales, and forming relationships with communities during his work with the National Symphony Orchestra. The superstar Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel is well-known for his work bringing classical music to underserved communities as well as his excellence on the podium.

Another golden age for the NYPhil? Let’s see how things play out.

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Sara Schabas

Sara Schabas is a Dora-nominated soprano, writer and yoga teacher. She has performed and created leading roles with companies including Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Dayton Opera, and Aspen Opera, and is a former member of Barbara Hannigan’s Equilibrium Young Artists. Currently based in Montreal, she is a doctoral student at McGill University — where she recently received the Wirth Vocal Prize — and editor of Art Song Canada magazine.