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Lorin Maazel is stepping down. And, with no regrets, he leaves the New York Philharmonic with an expanded repertoire, an infusion of new blood, and a great deal of self esteem.

"There's enormous pride. They know who they are, what they've accomplished, they know what position they hold in the world," he said. "If I've made some small contribution to that, I'm very proud indeed."

When he arrived in 2002, Maazel, an American, immediately established a bond with his musicians. Ever mindful of the past, he sought out new talent, commissioning original works and reinvigorating the membership with criteria based on technical excellence, intelligence and youth. And while the 79-year-old maestro has, at times, seemed aloof, he insists his enthusiasm has never flagged.

"Sometimes I just have to put myself on automatic," Maazel said. "One just has to look at the workload here, which is astonishing. But, at no performance have I ever been aloof, have I ever been indifferent. Quite the contrary, I'm Mr. Passion himself."

It's a passion that has taken him around the world many times and, one trip in particular 16 months ago, put him on the diplomatic defensive, He took the Philharmonic to North Korea at their invitation – a cultural exchange which critics charged was tantamount to consorting with the enemy.

"That one event had an enormous effect on people's view of Americans," he said. "They realized we're not monsters. We're not their born enemies."

And while Maazel is leaving the orchestra, he's not slowing down. He plans to spend more time on his beloved farm in Castleton, Virginia, where he's about to launch the nation's only chamber opera festival featuring the best young talent from as far away as Qatar. And, following the unexpected success of "1984", the opera he composed based on George Orwell's dark tragedy, Maazel's now set his sights on Broadway.

"I'm hoping to do a musical comedy, because I want to get away from all this sadness," Maazel said. "I'm a bubbly person by nature and I'd like to express the person I really am in music; that's lighthearted and optimistic."

Lorin Maazel's father is 106 years old and still going strong, so don't ask the maestro about retiring. But if you do, his answer reflects the characteristic class and honesty that's marked his 72 years as a professional musician.

"When I feel I'm no longer able to meet the challenge, I will withdraw with a certain degree of elegance I hope. And style," he said.

But with a calendar booked through 2014, don't expect that to happen anytime soon.