San Diego Symphony Trades Principal Cellist for Timpanist, Fifth Horn

Classical Music Magazine Insider Axel Dendoncker reported Monday that the San Diego Symphony Orchestra has agreed to ship Principal Cellist Ya Zhao to the Boston Symphony for timpanist Timothy Genis, Fifth Horn Jason Snider, and reed considerations.

San Diego signed Zhao to a ten-year, $100 million contract just last summer.

Parting ways with the superstar Zhao, who is still 21 years shy of his 60th birthday, seems incongruous with program schemes employed by SDSO Conductor Bill Conti, which have relied heavily on Zhao as the cornerstone of the string section since 2007.

"This is a cost cutting move, pure and simple," KCCM San Diego's Morning Movements host 'Mad Maestro' De Rossi fumed today. "No offense to Snider and Genis, but they're minor players. I mean, put two sticks in my nervous grandpa's hands and he could play the timpani."

The controversial trade of Zhao comes amidst tense, ongoing negotiations between SDSO administration and city officials over a new hall for the symphony.

"On the one hand, I get that Copley Hall is a sadly out of date venue for a modern orchestra. The acoustics are better than average at best, and French Ricoco style, please," De Rossi remarked. "On the other, if this is how (SDSO Chairman) Platt is going to run the show, I say let 'em go."