Leonard Slatkin

Following a successful tenure as Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony from 1979 until 1996, Mr. Slatkin was named Conductor Laureate. Mr. Slatkin also recently accepted the position of Music Advisor to the Nashville Symphony.

He has served as Festival Director of the Cleveland Orchestra’s Blossom Festival (1990-99), Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra (1997-2000), and Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (2000-2004). In addition to his conducting appearances, Mr. Slatkin is a frequent host of musical broadcasts, which include the BBC, lending his broad knowledge and expertise.

Mr. Slatkin has made regular appearances with virtually every major international orchestra, including the New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and many others. His performances of opera have taken him to leading opera companies in the US and around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, and Vienna State Opera. A recent highlight is a European tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony, stepping in at the last minute to replace Sir Andrew Davis.

Born in Los Angeles to a distinguished musical family, his parents were the conductor-violinist Felix Slatkin and cellist Eleanor Aller, founding members of the famed Hollywood String Quartet. Mr. Slatkin began his musical studies on the violin and studied conducting with his father, followed by Walter Susskind at Aspen and Jean Morel at The Juilliard School He is married to soprano Linda Hohenfeld, and they have one son, Daniel.

Leonard Slatkin appears in the following:

Leonard Slatkin On What It Takes To Be A Conductor

Thursday, November 09, 2017

Conductor and composer Leonard Slatkin joins us to discuss his new book "Leading Tones: Reflections on Music, Musicians, and the Music Industry."

Comments [1]

Why Classical Music is Seen Differently in the U.S. and Europe

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Leonard Slatkin, conductor of the Orchestre National de Lyon, joins us to discuss his recent concert at Carnegie Hall, as well as the orchestra’s first American tour since 2003.

Comment

‘The Rite of Spring’ Turns 100, And Goes Solo

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Leonard Slatkin on the groundbreaking, riot-inducing composition 'The Rite of Spring' at its centennial. And details on how we're marking the occasion...

Comment

Leonard Slatkin on Conducting

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Conductor Leonard Slatkin explains what it is exactly that conductors do for a living. In Conducting Business, he brings this most mysterious of jobs to life for the music lover as well as for the aspiring maestro, and tells tales of some of the most fascinating people in the musical world, including Frank Sinatra, Leonard Bernstein, and John Williams.

Maestro Slatkin is conducting the Detroit Symphony in two concerts as part of the Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall Thursday and Friday. WQXR is broadcasting these concerts live, as well as distributing them nationally.

Comment

American Composers

Sunday, July 04, 2010

In this July 4th special edition, we will explore music by American composers – works chosen by 11 of our guests including Tom Brokaw, Condoleezza Rice, Alan Alda and Renée Fleming.

Comment

Leonard Slatkin

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

As Soundcheck begins broadcasting on WDET in Detroit, we present some of that city’s musical leaders. Leonard Slatkin has been a fixture of the American orchestral scene for over three decades, with notable tenures leading the St. Louis and National Symphony Orchestras. In 2007, he became music director of the ...

Comments [2]

Leonard Slatkin

Sunday, December 11, 1983

Bob Sherman talks to conductor Leonard Slatkin who is the music director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor of the New York Philharmonic.

Comment

Leonard Slatkin

Sunday, August 20, 1978

A recent conversation recorded at the Aspen Music Festival with Leonard Slatkin.

Comment