Han-Na Chang has announced she is stepping down as music director of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra after just one year in the position.
The South Korean conductor, who rose to international fame as a cellist before picking up the baton, began with the QPO in September 2013 and on Sunday conducted the orchestra in its debut at the BBC Proms, its most prestigious concert to date.
Chang has cited 'persistent administrative difficulties and irreconcilable artistic differences with the management' of the QPO as her reasons for leaving, and it seems that the final straw may have been a failure to sort out visa problems which prevented her from travelling to Italy with the players the day after the Prom.
Expressing her regret, Chang praised the 'skill, hard work and commitment' of the QPO musicians, saying in a statement that 'I send my deepest thanks to everyone involved for what we have achieved together and I wish the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra all the very best for its future.'
Lucinda Chaudhuri
