The New York Philharmonic has announced a $40 million gift from Oscar L. Tang and Agnes Hsu-Tang. 

The largest gift in the orchestra’s history will establish the Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Music and Artistic Director Chair, which will be endowed beginning in 2025, when Gustavo Dudamel becomes the Music Director Designate. Oscar Tang, who is co-chair of the organization’s board of directors, and his wife have supported several philharmonic initiatives, including current music director Jaap van Zweden’s arrival, the groundbreaking Project 19 women’s commissioning initiative, and the renovation of David Geffen Hall.

“We want this gift to galvanize others to join in the transformation of the New York Philharmonic to return to the level of historical prominence and popularity it enjoyed when I first came to New York—the Golden Age under the baton of maestro Leonard Bernstein,” said Oscar and Agnes Hsu-Tang. “This gift is a manifestation of our confidence in New York and the New York Philharmonic’s new leaders, the visionary Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and Gary Ginstling, the institution’s dynamic new president and CEO. We believe their leadership, building on progress achieved in the past six years, will take the New York Philharmonic into a new Golden Age and make this institution a contemporary ideal of universality and excellence through broadened outreach and inclusive practice in every aspect of the institution.” 

(Photo credit: Flickr/Steven Pisano)