Canada's Nezet-Seguin to lead Philadelphia Orchestra

Canadian conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, 35, has been named music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he will take the baton in 2012 for a five-year stint, officials said Monday.

Allison Vulgamore, president of the Philadelphia Orchestra issued a statement announcing the appointment of Nezet-Seguin, who is to succeed Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit.

The conductor said in a statement on Monday that he was "honored to be named at the head of such a formidable orchestra."

Nezet-Seguin, a native of Montreal, got the coveted assignment after just two guest-conducting stints with the Philadelphia Orchestra, considered one of America's premier orchestras.

The prestigious orchestra is one of the "big five" in the United States, along with Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and New York.

Nezet-Seguin's appointment comes about 10 years after being named to his first permanent post as music director of the Orchestre Metropolitain in Montreal.

He is to wrap up the current 2009-2010 season leading the Orchestre Metropolitain in Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand."