Dr. Mark Peacock, chair of the Nashville Symphony’s Music Director Search Committee announced today that Leonard Slatkin, internationally acclaimed conductor and longtime friend of the orchestra, will serve as Music Director for three years through the 2028/29 season. Slatkin assumes the role following his previous appointment as Music Advisor. Maestro Slatkin takes the artistic helm of the orchestra beginning with the 2026/27 season, for celebrations around the 20th anniversary of Schermerhorn Symphony Center, the 80th anniversary of the Nashville Symphony, and celebrations around the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation.
Slatkin previously served as the Nashville Symphony’s Music Advisor from 2006 to 2009, during the opening of Schermerhorn, and he returned to the role in 2025 to once again serve as Music Advisor. As he resumed his long-standing relationship with the orchestra, it became clear to both Slatkin and the Music Director Search Committee that elevating his role to Music Director was a crucial step in providing outstanding creative direction and securing the continued artistic growth of the orchestra.
“This is a significant moment for the Nashville Symphony. Maestro Slatkin is one of the most respected artistic leaders in American music, and he understands this orchestra in a deeply personal way,” said Alan D. Valentine, President and CEO of the Nashville Symphony. “His appointment ensures we will move forward with clarity, a deep commitment to artistic excellence, and momentum. We are excited to partner with him in shaping the next chapter of the Nashville Symphony, one grounded in extraordinary music-making and expanded community impact. As my own July retirement date approaches, Leonard’s appointment as Music Director is also reassuring to me that I will leave the institution in the best of hands, artistically.” As Music Director, Slatkin will provide artistic leadership and help establish the framework for the Nashville Symphony’s education and community engagement initiatives, as well as its strategic direction. He will also conduct six of the 14 Classical Series concerts in the 2026/27 season.
“Twenty years ago, I was fortunate enough to be involved with the opening of Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Over time, the orchestra and I have continued to work together. Now, I feel this is the right time and place for me to be,” said Music Director Leonard Slatkin. “This three-year term will be the start of a new chapter for the Nashville Symphony. I will work closely with everyone to help develop a framework for the future. In a city that is developing by leaps and bounds, there is every reason to believe that the Nashville Symphony and Schermerhorn Symphony Center will be at the heart of this renaissance. I am privileged to be a part of this growth.”
“This appointment gives our orchestra exactly what we need right now: experienced leadership, artistic momentum, and someone who understands our organization and community. Maestro Slatkin knows how to elevate what makes this orchestra special,” said Peter Otto, Nashville Symphony Concertmaster.
“Maestro Slatkin brings extraordinary artistic credibility and a longstanding commitment to this organization,” said Mary Cavarra, Board Chair. “The Board is thrilled to welcome him as Music Director and confident his leadership will provide important continuity and momentum.”
A GRAMMY® Award-winning conductor, composer, author, and champion of American music, Slatkin has held leadership positions with many of the world’s top orchestras, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, National Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Las Vegas Philharmonic, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Recognized for his dynamic artistry and commitment to music education, Slatkin continues to appear with numerous major international ensembles, such as New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl, Atlanta Symphony, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Filarmonica George Enescu (Bucharest), Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and Warsaw Philharmonic.
Slatkin’s engagement as Music Director will begin in August 2026 and continue through July 2029.