Utah Symphony not renewing Kogan pact

The Utah Symphony has announced that it will drop Pavel Kogan as the symphony's principal guest conductor when his contract expires at the end of the current season — and Kogan isn't happy about it.

"I am deeply disappointed in what has happened," Kogan said, adding that he is at a loss to explain why his contract wasn't extended. He also mentioned that besides having a good working and personal relationship with the musicians of the Utah Symphony, he is proud that his concerts tend to sell out Abravanel Hall. "The audience likes what I bring to them, and they come to my concerts."

"Pavel has a lovely following here," said Anne Ewers, Utah Symphony and Opera CEO, "although the numbers have dropped as the novelty has worn off."

Kogan will end his six-year tenure in the position when he conducts the symphony's final Masterworks concerts on May 28 and 29.

Ewers said the decision not to continue with Kogan as principal guest conductor was based on conclusions reached by two committees. "Both the artistic and the executive committees felt that it was long enough, and Keith and I agreed," she said, referring to music director Keith Lockhart.

The artistic committee is made up of eight to 10 musicians appointed by the orchestra, who meet with Lockhart, Ewers or Margaret Dredge, the symphony's artistic administrator, depending on what issues are being discussed. The executive committee consists of members from Utah Symphony and Opera's board of trustees.

The Utah Symphony never had a principal guest conductor until Kogan. Ewers said the position was created when Lockhart was appointed music director in 1998. "The reason the search committee chose both Keith and Pavel was to give audiences two different approaches to concerts," she said.

Elsewhere, the average length of stay for a principal guest conductor is short, Ewers said, and Kogan will have been in Utah for six years at the end of the 2003-04 season. "The standard is two to four years. With Pavel, the relationship has run its course. It was good while it lasted, but we need to move on."

Kogan scoffed at Ewers' claim that principal guest conductors don't stay in the position for very long, citing the many years that Sir Colin Davis and Bernard Haitink have spent with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as principals.

"The term can be anywhere from one year to an unlimited number of years. There is no standard," he said. "That is an unprofessional explanation."