The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has appointed Louis Langrée as its new music director for an initial four-year term from the 2013-14 season. The conductor, who has served as Camerata Salzburg chief since 2011 and as music director of New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival since 2002, succeeds Paavo Järvi, who concluded his 10-year tenure as the orchestra’s director in May 2011.

‘It is a great honour to have been offered the position of music director of this prestigious orchestra,’ said Langrée. ‘I am sure that our creative journey together will be very stimulating for all of us and am eager to share this deep and wonderful experience with the community in Cincinnati and beyond.’

The conductor, who made his debut with the orchestra in March 2011, follows in the footsteps of a number of distinguished CSO principals, including Leopold Stokowski, Eugène Ysaÿe and Fritz Reiner. He will begin his role as music director designate with two programmes during the 2012-13 season – ‘French Romance’ featuring Cédric Tiberghien and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the May Festival Chorus.