Los Angeles ? Ending months of speculation, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen has said that he would lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic for at least three more years.

“There’s no other orchestra in the world that is doing this well in terms of gaining new ground, finding new audiences, doing a vast variety of things,” Salonen said. “I thought, I have to be part of this.”

Salonen’s contract, which was to expire at the end of the coming season, will continue through 2008, with an “evergreen clause” allowing further extensions. Salonen made his announcement at a Walt Disney Concert Hall news conference to detail the orchestra’s 2005-06 season.

Deborah Borda, Philharmonic Assn. president, said the evergreen clause was a standard one that would permit “renewal on an annual basis, with proper notification.”

“This clearly signals Esa-Pekka and the Philharmonic Assn.’s desire to continue to partnership and work together,” Borda said. “What this clause provides for is appropriate notice so that we can continue to plan and move ahead.”

A composer as well as a conductor, Salonen, 46, reportedly has been torn between the demands of the two professions.

“It’s a continuous struggle,” he said. “But I also realized that for me to deal with the composing issue is to curb my guest conducting, to concentrate on this, which is artistically the most fulfilling thing I do anyway, and just stay home.”

He added: “I just wanted to be sure when I extend my contract, I extend it because of the artistic potential I see in the relationship and not because of having a good life here and wanting to keep it going.”

Salonen, now in his 13th season as music director of the Philharmonic, will conduct during 11 weeks of the coming 30-week season. Seven of those will be for the previously announced “Beethoven Unbound” project — a cycle of all nine of the Beethoven symphonies juxtaposed with modern works.