A change in the guard at L.A. Phil

Miguel Harth-BeDoya, for whom the position of associate conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic was created in 1999, will leave that post next month, at the end of the season. He will continue to conduct the orchestra, however. No replacement has been named.

“We knew about this two years ago,” Harth-Bedoya said last week from Texas, where he serves as music director of the Fort Worth Symphony and lives with his wife, choral director Maritza Caceres, and their 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Elena. “But I will be maintaining for the immediate future quite a strong relationship with the orchestra. I will conduct at the Hollywood Bowl this summer and for two subscription seasons as well.”

Harth-Bedoya said he will keep his post at the Forth Worth Symphony through 2008 and remain music director of the Auckland Philharmonic in New Zealand for an additional 1 1/2 years. He will also guest conduct in Europe and the United States.

Harth-Bedoya was 30 when he came to the Philharmonic from the Eugene Symphony in Oregon. In an unusual move, he was appointed one of three assistant conductors in 1998. The others were Kristjan Jarvi and Andrew Robinson. Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen said at the time that the Philharmonic’s season activities were too much for one assistant. The assistant conductor steps in for the music director if the latter is unavailable to perform. Jarvi and Robinson stayed in their jobs until Yasuo Shinozaki was appointed assistant conductor in 2001. Shinozaki will be succeeded this fall by Alexander Mickelthwate.

“I am very grateful for all of the support I’ve gotten from the orchestra, the management and particularly from Esa-Pekka, who has been a very generous colleague with me,” Harth-Bedoya said. “This has been a constant challenge, and I have grown up during these years. The relationship with the Philharmonic has been very special to me.”