The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is getting a new music director.

The orchestra said Monday that Ignat Solzhenitsyn (sohl-zheh-NEETS'-ihn) is leaving that position a year earlier than planned so he can return to New York and focus on his increasing workload as a guest conductor.

Solzhenitsyn will transition to conductor laureate for the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in the summer of 2010. He plans to conduct at least one concert program per season thereafter.

The new music director is Dirk Brosse, who conducted the Chamber Orchestra in its October Scandinavian Perspectives program. He also appeared with the orchestra for 2008's performance of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde.

---