(Philadelphia, May 10, 2022)—Ralph and Beth Johnston Muller have made a $3 million endowment gift to The Philadelphia Orchestra to name the Principal Guest Conductor Chair, currently held by the esteemed Nathalie Stutzmann. The gift was inspired by Stutzmann’s charismatic musicianship and her contributions to the Orchestra thus far in her tenure, and further signifies the importance of the Principal Guest Conductor to the artistic vision of the Orchestra.
“Beth and I have been deeply moved by Nathalie’s dynamic and trailblazing career,” said Ralph Muller, co-chair of the Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “Her depth of artistry and chemistry with the musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra are apparent on stage, and we look forward to seeing her ongoing contributions to the Orchestra’s vision in this important artistic role.”
“I am honored to hold the title of the Ralph and Beth Johnston Muller Chair,” said Stutzmann. “Ralph and Beth have been devoted supporters of the Orchestra, and this incredibly generous gift is deeply meaningful as I continue to strengthen my relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra.”
The Philadelphia Orchestra appointed Nathalie Stutzmann as principal guest conductor for three years, beginning in the 2021–22 season. A familiar and powerful presence on the podium, Stutzmann made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut as a vocalist in 1997 performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 under the direction of Simon Rattle, and her conducting debut in 2016 leading Handel’s Messiah. She recently made major news in America when she was named music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, beginning in the 2022–23 season, becoming only the second woman in history to lead a major American orchestra. She is also in her fourth season of a highly successful tenure as chief conductor of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in Norway.
Ralph Muller is executive chairman of Seminal Healthcare, a growth equity fund based in Wayne, PA. He also serves as a national adviser to the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Health group and is a senior fellow at Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (LDI) of the University of Pennsylvania. He served from 2003 to 2019 as chief executive officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS). Prior to joining UPHS, he was president of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System from 1985 to 2001, and a visiting fellow at the Kings Fund in London. He serves on the Board of Directors for WHYY and several healthcare non-profits. He has been the chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems, the University HealthSystem Consortium, and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. In addition, Muller served as commissioner on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and as commissioner of the Joint Commission. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A member of the Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 2009, Muller was elected chair in 2020 and currently serves as co-chair of the Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc.
Beth Johnston Muller is the special advisor to the CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. In addition, she provides consulting services to several national firms, specializing in physician group governance and management, funds flow, and access. Johnston Muller previously served as executive director and chief executive of clinical practices at the University of Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2020, responsible for overseeing the operations of the University’s faculty practice plan, consisting of 18 clinical departments with 2200+ faculty members, 3300 staff, 150+ practice sites, a $460 million research portfolio, and annual total operating revenues of $1.7 billion. She also previously served as vice president of professional services at Pennsylvania Hospital, associate vice president of physician recruitment and retention at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and director of operation support at HealthTrust, Inc., in Nashville, TN. Johnston Muller graduated from the University of Michigan with a Masters of Health Service Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
