And so another young conductor’s star has well and truly risen. It was only a few years ago that the Canadian maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin was widely known only in his native country - he ran Opera de Montreal aged 22 and succeeded to the Orchestre Metropolitan du Grand Montreal a decade ago. Then came the announcement that he would follow Valery Gergiev at the helm of the Rotterdam Philharmonic (a characterful orchestra that is often seen as an ideal stepping-stone to a really big appointment) and the next year, in 2006, the London Philharmonic made him their chief guest conductor.

Now comes the big one, and in some ways the riskiest – Nézet-Séguin is to take on the mighty Philadelphia Orchestra, in a move expected to be ratified by the orchestra’s board today.

Prestigious? Certainly. The “fabulous Philadelphians” are frequently thought of as one of the “big five” American orchestras, and on their day bring to their playing a richness of sound envied by many rivals around the world. So where’s the risk? Well, in common with other orchestras, especially in the US funding system which relies overwhelmingly on private and corporate donations, the organisation is facing difficult times – a European tour was cancelled recently due to cost-cuts.

Also, perhaps of all major US orchestras, Philadelphia has a reputation of not being the easiest place to be accepted, as the previous music director Christoph Eschenbach found to his cost (there is still controversy over whether he left, mid-tenure, due to critical barbs or the musicians themselves). Since Eschenbach’s departure in 2008, however, Charles Dutoit’s residency as chief conductor, an interim measure while a new music director was sought, has been generally hailed a success.

So, Nézet-Séguin follows in a grand line of Philly music directors that includes Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Wolfgang Sawallisch and Eschenbach. He will officially arrive there in 2012, at a time when new faces on major podiums are all the rage. Gustavo Dudamel in LA and Gothenburg and Alan Gilbert in New York are but the latest examples of a trend that has also included the likes of Nicola Luisotti, Vladimir Jurowski, and emerging stars like Robin Ticciati (currently running the Scottish Chamber Orchestra) and Xian Zhang (a Lorin Maazel protégé who has recently taken over the Giusseppe Verdi Orchestra of Milan).

Philadelphia’s newcomer, for his part, will be expected to bring some important strengths. Orchestras love him, no small consideration in this neck of the woods. He is a prolific recordings man, at a time when the orchestra has been somewhat quiet in this area since Eschenbach left – Nézet-Séguin has an already full slate, with discs due out, variously, on BIS, EMI and the LPO’s own label. He’s great with the press, an affable and charismatic figure (qualities which will also stand him in good stead with sponsors).

Not least, of course, he’s a terrific conductor – and although reviews of his recordings in Gramophone have been mixed (some of his early Bruckner discs less well-received than, say, his glorious recent Ravel album), all agree that, at his best, he is a galvanising force. Under the glare of the Philadelphia spotlight, he will need to be.

James Inverne