Sitting on the stage of Frank Gehry’s monumental Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen doesn’t look a day over 30. But the Finn will turn 50 this year and embark on his 17th season as music director of the LA Phil. And then he will turn the baton over to a conductor who makes everyone look old — Venezuelan star Gustavo Dudamel. When the “wunderkind” takes over in September 2009, he will be 28.

Salonen reminded the audience at his 2008-09 season presentation that this is a city that dares to be different. “What other city would do this kind of thing, give its orchestra to a completely unknown Finnish guy? The kind of tradition this city and organization has is the kind of risk-taking that pays off.”

Salonen himself is known as a risk-taker and has given young and obscure composers the limelight in Los Angeles during his reign. As he looked up at his orchestra from the stage on Thursday, he said his musicians had a “lack of fear…they have followed me to some strange places and come back out with me.”

Before he wraps up and heads to his next gig as principal conductor at the Philharmonia in London, Salonen warned he will be giving many more farewell speeches like this one. “There will be at least 25 more. Brace yourselves. Now that Fidel Castro is retiring, we need somebody who gives those four-hour speeches.”