The MCR Interview:
Leonard Slatkin on the Future of the Nashville Symphony
The Nashville Symphony is stepping into a new era, and few voices could frame the moment better than Leonard Slatkin. In a recent interview with Daniel Kren, the internationally celebrated conductor and composer discussed his return to Nashville as the orchestra’s Music Adviser, a position he previously held two decades ago. His perspective—rooted in decades of leadership with some of the nation’s most prominent orchestras—offers both continuity and vision at a time of transition. (Complete interview in embedded video at right)
Slatkin began by clarifying the distinction between three essential roles in an orchestra: the music director, the guest conductor, and the music adviser. A music director sets long-term artistic direction, a guest conductor brings short-term energy and variety, while a music adviser, especially in a transition, bridges the gap. With Giancarlo Guerrero stepping down after 16 years as music director and longtime CEO Alan Valentine preparing to retire, Slatkin’s job is to ensure coherence in programming and artistic planning while the search for new leadership unfolds.
Reflecting on his first tenure as adviser in 2006, Slatkin recalled the challenge of opening the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center after the sudden passing of Kenneth Schermerhorn. Back then, the orchestra was preparing for recordings and a major debut in its new hall. Today, the context is different: the hall is well established, the orchestra has matured under Guerrero’s leadership, and the task is to imagine what it means to be a symphony in the 21st century.
For Slatkin, that question goes beyond music-making on stage. He emphasizes that conductors today must also be communicators, educators, and advocates for the arts. Whether writing books and blogs, speaking to audiences before concerts, or engaging directly in schools and community settings, the modern music director must be visible and vocal about the value of the arts. In a cultural climate where arts funding and education face constant challenges, Slatkin sees it as essential for conductors to articulate why live orchestral music matters.
The interview also touched on Slatkin’s work as a composer. While best known for his conducting, he has written original works and transcriptions, including The Raven, a dramatic piece for narrator and orchestra, and more recent chamber and orchestral works. Composition, he says, helps him better understand the creative process of other composers and deepens his interpretive insight on the podium.
Looking forward, Slatkin will conduct four weeks per season in Nashville while advising on repertoire and guest conductors. He stressed that the upcoming years will feature a variety of conductors, giving both the orchestra and audiences a chance to experience different artistic voices before selecting the next music director. Beyond technical skill, he believes communication and community engagement will be crucial qualities in Nashville’s next leader.
Ultimately, Slatkin describes his return as an opportunity not for maintenance but for forward momentum. “What’s next for the Nashville Symphony? What’s the next challenge, the next hurdle we need to leap over?” he asks. With his guidance, the orchestra is preparing to answer exactly that
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Daniel Krenz is a conductor and composer currently living in Nashville. Currently he serves as the Music Director for the Blueprint Ensemble, a collective dedicated to playing and placing Art music, both new and old, in exciting and refreshing contexts.
