Mulligan is a fine collaborative conductor who demonstrated once again that he can follow a soloist easily without merely accompanying. That’s a huge asset with Italian operatic repertoire especially.

But when Woods introduced and extolled the promise of Dudamel's last-minute replacement, the crowd was already in Stephen Mulligan's corner when he came onto stage himself.

On Thursday, in a concert of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, Mulligan was in charge of his own program from the start. His advance preparation was most obvious in the exquisitely played Sibelius symphony.

A sold-out Symphony Hall was the place to be on Thursday evening, when the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, led by assistant conductor Stephen Mulligan, performed a compelling concert of music by Sibelius and Rachmaninoff, with Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky as featured soloist.

But there is a beaming ray of light amongst all the rain. Just after Spano’s January announcement of leave, the ASO’s 30-year-old assistant conductor Stephen Mulligan stepped in halfway through a concert for the orchestra’s indisposed music director.

The Fellows will work alongside Dudamel and musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as well as visiting artists and conductors, and will also work with students in key LA Phil education programs.

Penny Van Horn, Board Chair of The Solti Foundation U.S. and Elizabeth Buccheri, Artistic and Awards Committee Chair, today announced the names of the eight recipients of the 2018 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Awards.

The final work was Strauss’ 1889 tone poem, Death and Transfiguration. The music is magnificent, chilling, inspirational and personal. Mulligan and the ASO seemed to revel in its gorgeous sound and played it to its dramatic fullness.

Like a back-up quarterback, it is Mulligan's job to be prepared to conduct every performance. He has now filled in three times over the past six weeks.

Mulligan excelled in his pinch-hitting role, leading the ASO through proper readings of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 and the two concertos.