The Columbus Symphony Orchestra introduced Jean-Marie Zeitouni as its new musical director Tuesday morning.

The decision came after more than two years without an official conductor for the symphony.

“In my year with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, there have been exhilarating moments and some not-so-exhilarating moments,” said Roland Valliere, the president of the CSO. “This is an exhilarating moment.”

Zeitouni, a Canadian from Montreal, formerly led the Quebec City chamber orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, for more than 100 performances. He has also guest conducted several American symphonies, including three performances with the CSO.

At an induction ceremony Tuesday morning, Zeitouni emerged on stage after an introductory video presentation. He recalled his initial interest in the CSO after his first appearance as a guest conductor.

“When you guest conduct an orchestra … you are dating. You check them out, they check you out,” he said. “Like at the end of a good date, you go home and call your friend. I called my manager and said, ‘I think I’d like to see her again.'”

Zeitouni said he had a high level of respect for the CSO’s handling of its recent financial troubles.

“I have to express my admiration for the CSO for the tremendous sacrifices they have made,while maintaining a high artistic standard,” he said during the conference at the Southern Theatre.

The respect was mutual.

CSO representatives had nothing but praise for the new director. Valliere, who had been involved with five other searches for music directors with other symphonies, called this the most successful search he had been involved in.

He said Zeitouni was “a unique and really a perfect fit for the symphony at this time.”

CSO board chairman Martin Inglis said despite the length of the process, he was pleased with the outcome.

“The search took longer than I liked, but the result was perfect,” he said.

Zeitouni is only the seventh musical director in the CSO’s 60-year history. In his introductory video, he said he plans to build on that history.

“I know that the symphony has a heritage and a personality already,” he said. “I look forward to expanding that.”  

The symphony thinks Zeitouni will elevate the level of the orchestra along with his own name. Valliere quoted trustee Fred Isaac: “Today he is a star; tomorrow he will be a superstar.”

Zeitouni will make his debut as music director Saturday conducting Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” at the Ohio Theatre. He said he hopes to increase attendance at CSO performances as well. He quoted fellow conductor Benjamin Zander to qualify his point.

“Everyone loves classical music,” he said. “They just don’t know it yet.”

Zeitouni said, aside from just working with the symphony, he looks forward to living in Columbus.

“I’m a big hockey fan and there is a hockey team here,” he said to the chuckling crowd. He followed with a salute to Ohio State. “I hear there is a famous football team too.”