▁Angeles ▁Sym phony , ▁during ▁which ▁ten ure ▁he ▁introduced ▁do z ens ▁of ▁works ▁to ▁the ▁or chestra ' s ▁re per toire ▁and ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁raising ▁its ▁playing ▁standards ▁to ▁un pre ced ented ▁height s . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁Music ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Seattle ▁Phil harm onic ▁Orchestra ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁and ▁Music ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Sam m am ish ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁he ▁guest - con duct ed ▁the ▁" P ops " ▁concert ▁at ▁the ▁Oregon ▁Coast ▁Music ▁Festival , ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Festival ' s ▁permanent ▁Associ ate ▁Con duct or /" P ops " ▁Con duct or ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁A ▁dev ote e ▁of ▁un just ly ▁neglect ed ▁works , ▁Stern ▁is ▁particularly ▁noted ▁for ▁his ▁frequent ▁performances ▁of ▁English ▁music , ▁especially ▁that ▁of ▁Ralph ▁V aug han ▁Williams . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁first ▁Seattle ▁Sym phony ▁performance ▁of ▁V aug han ▁Williams ' ▁Past oral ▁Sym phony ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ; ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁he ▁and ▁the ▁Seattle ▁Phil harm onic ▁presented ▁the ▁North west ▁premi ere ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁composer ' s ▁final ▁sym phony , ▁No . ▁ 9 . ▁Stern ▁has ▁also ▁led ▁Seattle , ▁North west , ▁West ▁Coast ▁and ▁world ▁premier es ▁of ▁works ▁by ▁El sa ▁Bar raine , ▁A aron ▁Cop