It's a Co-Principal position so Rinat isn't leaving. He is in a "trial" period for the job and will spend more time this spring playing in the orchestra. He did tell me though that he is seriously considering living in London.
This is news to me. It would mean the JQ would be taking a step down a rung though (IMO). He is amongst the best soloists on the planet but becoming CO-principal (emphasis on 'co') in any orchestra from his present pos. would be a step backwards. If the position is a shared principal then that would be different. Either way Ibragimov and JQ in the same team sounds like a bit of a mismatch. Ib has a wild flare and a big growlly russian sound where as JQ is about as refined as you can get. Where do these too styles meet?
FC
