Like many young musicians, Daniel Song found his calling as a child, playing viola in a youth orchestra in the Los Angeles area. But not as a performer. Instead, Song, then a high school freshman, was inspired by Gail Samuel, the daughter of the couple who ran the ensemble, when she came to give away tickets to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
“I asked someone, ‘What does she do?’” Song said in a recent phone interview. Someone told him that Samuel was the Philharmonic’s general manager. Song didn’t know what that meant. But he knew he was fascinated.
That moment set Song on track for a career in arts administration. He’s the chief operating officer of what’s widely known as the LA Phil, the largest and one of the most acclaimed orchestras in the country. Song has spent most of his career there since graduating from the Frost School of Music with a bachelor’s in music business and entertainment in 2003. And Samuel, who launched his journey, became Song’s mentor and friend.
Photographs of Daniel Song provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
He found kindred spirits at the Frost School, then one of the few schools in the country where he could study music business and administration. “It was really nice to be surrounded by classmates that share your passion,” said Song, who was awarded a generous scholarship. “A lot of them were more into commercial music or publishing. I was into arts administration. But we all wanted to be part of making music by supporting others because what we do allows the art form to thrive.”
He also learned how to become successful. “Frost shaped me into the person I am beyond the classroom,” Song said. “It’s given me the tools not just to get the jobs, but to be professional.”
He returned to Los Angeles determined to fulfill his childhood ambition, just as the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, the architectural landmark and cutting-edge new home of the LA Phil, opened. “It was a huge deal not just for the organization, but for the city,” Song said. “There was this aura around the orchestra. I was excited about what it was building and what it meant, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
After a short stint working for a music publisher, Song took an entry-level fundraising position at the LA Phil and worked his way up to concert manager, handling the logistical side of concert production and operations. He learned that determination and focus will take you far. “I was advised to get your foot in the door and do whatever job is available,” Song said. “If you show you’re a hard worker and intelligent, we’ll want to keep you around.”
In 2012, he applied for a job at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado, mostly to brush up his interview skills. He wound up as vice president and general manager of the eight-week, 400-event festival, and school, learning leadership skills by having people report to him for the first time. (The Aspen festival is also home to the JAS Academy, a summer jazz program run by the Frost School and Jazz Aspen Snowmass.)
But Song returned to the LA Phil in 2017 to take the position of vice president of philharmonic and production, overseeing concert production, orchestra management, vendors, touring, union negotiations, and more. In 2021, when his mentor Samuel left to become CEO of the Boston Symphony, Song replaced her as the LA Phil’s COO, overseeing almost 300 musicians and staff and a budget of approximately $175 million. He’s a vital executive team member, managing the LA Phil’s four venues, which also include the Hollywood Bowl, and addressing long-term strategic planning and goals. When CEO Chad Smith left last year, Song served as interim CEO from May 2023 until July, when new leader Kim Noltemy was installed.
One of Song’s professional joys has been working with Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil’s transformative, acclaimed music and artistic director. “Gustavo is not just an amazing conductor; he’s an artistic visionary,” Song said. “One of the great pleasures of this job is translating what he sees in his head and making it happen. So that when he’s onstage, what happens is exactly what he envisioned, and your audience experiences this artistic product that he had in his head.”
