Leonard Slatkin

[1] Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine.

The ensemble toured and recorded frequently and impressed critics and audiences alike with its fine musicianship and creative musical direction.

There were reports of tension between Slatkin and the orchestra, whose secure finances were said to have "fostered a culture of superiority and recalcitrance," as well as negative concert reviews, which contributed to his short tenure with the BBCSO.

[12][13] Previously in the UK, Slatkin was principal guest conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1997 to 2000 and made a series of digital recordings for RCA with them, including the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams.

In 2004, the Los Angeles Philharmonic named him principal guest conductor at the Hollywood Bowl for a two-year period; he was subsequently given a third year in the position, with his tenure ending in September 2007.

In June 2007, Slatkin was announced as the next Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra,[14] and he assumed this post in 2008.

On October 27, 2006, the Jacobs School of Music announced the appointment of Slatkin to the faculty at Indiana University as a part-time teacher of conducting and composition.

On October 7, 2007, Slatkin announced he had reached agreement on a three-year contract, followed by a two-year option, to become the new music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, beginning with the 2008–2009 subscription season.

[20] Slatkin stated that the projected year-to-year part of the contract did not mean that he planned to leave, only that at his age "it makes more sense to stay flexible.

In the music director laureate role, he will program and conduct four weeks a season and advise on artistic and personnel matters.

[21] Slatkin is credited with having rebuilt the DSO after a six-month strike and elevating it as a pillar of civic pride through innovative live webcasts and engaging community programming.

[27] In May 2010, the Orchestre National de Lyon announced the appointment of Slatkin as its music director, effective with the 2011–2012 season.