Leonard Slatkin has been named music director of the Detroit Symphony, filling the
vacancy left by the departure of Neeme Järvi in 2005.The 63-year-old Los Angeles native, son of conductor Felix Slatkin and Hollywood String Quartet cellist Eleanor Aller, earned high marks for orchestra-building when he led the St. Louis Symphony (1979-96). His 12-year tenure with Washington's National Symphony concludes at the end of this season. He also led the BBC Symphony (2000-04) and served as music advisor of the Nashville Symphony after the death of Kenneth Schermerhorn.
Slatkin will conduct for five weeks in his first Detroit season, beginning next fall, and for 13 weeks in the 2009-10 season.