Richman Signs Contract as Assistant Conductor

It’s official: Lucas Richman is assistant conductor of the Pacific Symphony.

“We made it official as of Friday,” said Richman, a conductor raised in Los Angeles who studied violin performance at UCLA and conducting at USC.

Richman, 24, had a three-year stint as conductor-in-training with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra, ending in 1987 and winning generally high marks from critics. He also shared podiums with Leonard Bernstein in Europe and Moscow this summer.

Richman said he and the orchestra signed a one-year, renewable contract. His first concerts will be Oct. 14-15, when he will lead a pops program, including music by Gershwin, Sondheim and Copeland.

“I’m very excited about it,” Richman said Monday. “There are a lot of things to be done.”

Richman, who will work under music director Keith Clark, added: “I’m sure that we’ll work fine together. He’s conducted the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra, and we got along. . . . I’ve only had good experiences with Keith.”