Tomlinson Not Sold on Ethnic Series : Programming: The director of the O.C. center is not as supportive of the international concerts as the Philharmonic Society had indicated.

Orange County Performing Arts Center executive director Tom Tomlinson confirmed late Thursday that he is negotiating with Orange County Philharmonic Society officials who want to present a series of ethnic programs in the building next season, but he was not as supportive of the series as society director Dean Corey had indicated.

Corey had said “the only conflicts left” involving the series have to do with “intricacies of scheduling” and are “not philosophical” as they had been with Tomlinson’s predecessor, Thomas R. Kendrick, who had tried to block ethnic concerts after dismissing them as “non-classical” and therefore inappropriate.

Reached later, Tomlinson indicated that philosophical problems may still emerge. “We haven’t been able to get through the scheduling problems to bring any philosophical discussions to the table,” he said, sounding far less optimistic and enthusiastic about the series than Corey had been.

“I’m convinced,” Tomlinson said, “that where there are areas of conflict, we will try to work them out, cooperate, work a compromise both in terms of scheduling and if there are other issues. At this point, that is the only thing I’m prepared to say.”

Corey could not be reached for comment.

Though Kendrick’s attempt to bar ethnic concerts from the current season was thwarted by the center board of directors, he insisted that approval for the programs was “specifically limited” to this season and that “all future Philharmonic Society series at the center shall reflect a primary focus on quality touring symphony orchestras and other classical music attractions.”

But Kendrick resigned in June, and society officials indicated that they would appeal to new center leadership. Thursday, Corey said he had proposed a series “somewhat similar to this year’s mix,” which includes the Mariachi los Camperos de Nati Cano, Les Ballets Africains, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, the Canadian Brass and the Chieftains, a group of Irish folk musicians (who play the center Monday night).

He said Tomlinson had “been very receptive” and praised him for being “much more” cooperative than Kendrick.

Tomlinson later said that he and Corey “are committed to resolve whatever the issues become in a way that’s amicable and is not confrontational. I believe we have the ability to do that . . . I want to emphasize that we’re committed to resolve this is in a way that’s amicable.”

But he would not discuss the question of whether the center should impose its views of appropriate programming on those like the society who rent the hall and actually present concerts there.