Leonard Slatkin Featured on Gramophone

Ahead of Leonard Slatkin’s 80th birthday on September 1, Gramophone magazine celebrates the illustrious American conductor with a full-length feature that covers his musical family, his time with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, his slew of recordings of unusual repertoire, and his American Sound Initiative.

By Thomas May

His vivid curiosity is unmistakable in the variety of projects planned for this milestone birthday year. These range from publishing a pair of books and spending more time on his own composition to launching a new partnership as artistic consultant to the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Appearances on the podium are naturally also on the calendar. This autumn brings reunions with the three American orchestras indelibly shaped by Slatkin’s years at their helm (in St Louis, Washington DC and Detroit); some international conducting engagements beckon as well.

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Leonard-Slatkin (© Cindy McTee)