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Leonard Slatkin’s Conducting School, Lesson Sixteen: Putting It All Together, Part One
Read moreJanuary 15, 2018
In this month’s video, Maestro Slatkin offers an in-depth look at Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, explaining the study process a conductor uses to prepare for a performance of this masterwork.
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DSO’s 2018 William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series Kicks Off
Read moreJanuary 9, 2018
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra returns to seven Metro Detroit venues as the 2018 William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series gets underway. The program includes Fauré’s Pelléas et Mélisande, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (with piano prodigy Harmony Zhu), and Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter.”
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JANUARY 2018
Read more“… and a Happy New Year!”
Wasn’t 2017 fun? There was certainly no shortage of mind-numbing events and statements coming from all over the world. There are many days when I am grateful to be able to immerse myself in music, as if seeking refuge from elements of society that have gone off track.
What better piece to convey the conflicts that emerged in 2017 than the Ninth Symphony by Gustav Mahler? This work was the final one I would lead before heading off to vacation. There are so many theories as to the meaning of the final completed symphony, it is impossible to state them all.
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Leonard Slatkin’s Conducting School, Lesson Fifteen: How It Looks and Sounds, Part Two
Read moreDecember 15, 2017
This month, Maestro Slatkin teaches viewers how to conduct two short excerpts for the purpose of practicing beat patterns, the first from Copland’s “Hoe Down” from Rodeo, and the second from the last movement of Brahms’s Symphony No. 1.
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Slatkin and McTee to Support Emerging Artists Fund at the DSO
Read moreDecember 7, 2017
The DSO announced that Music Director Leonard Slatkin and his wife, composer Cindy McTee, have committed $100,000 to the DSO’s endowment to showcase an emerging artist each season. Slatkin is in his 10th and final season as DSO Music Director before transitioning to the role of Music Director Laureate.
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DECEMBER 2017
Read moreWhat a month! November may be the time to give thanks but, at least this year, it was also the time to visit some old friends.
It all started in Washington with the NSO. I had not been back to my old orchestra for several years. There are many fresh faces but still a majority of musicians whom I hired over my twelve-year tenure. Most everyone seems to be doing very well, and I actually remembered most of their names. A few members have passed away, and some others have retired, but by the time the first rehearsal ended, we all seemed to be comfortable with each other.
The program began a two-year survey of the life and times of Leonard Bernstein. He would have been 100 years old this coming August, and the world is celebrating. The nation’s capital was involved in an important part of the Bernstein legacy, including his conducting at the inauguration of President Kennedy. My parents were invited to participate at the invitation of one of the performers, Frank Sinatra. In my work space at home, I have photos of my folks with the Maestro taken during the festivities.
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Grammy Nomination for Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Read moreNovember 28, 2017
Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra have been nominated for a GRAMMY Award in the Best Orchestral Performance category for the recording of Copland: Symphony No. 3; Three Latin American Sketches.
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Critical Praise for “Bernstein’s Philharmonic: A Centennial Festival”
Read moreNovember 16, 2017
Slatkin’s performances with the New York Philharmonic for the Leonard Bernstein centennial celebration were met with rave reviews. The program included Bernstein’s “Kaddish,” with soprano Tamara Wilson, the Concert Chorale of New York, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and narration by Jeremy Irons.
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Leonard Slatkin’s Conducting School, Lesson Fourteen: How It Looks and Sounds, Part One
Read moreNovember 15, 2017
In this month’s lesson, Maestro Slatkin provides an opportunity for students to combine the beat patterns and left-hand communication techniques they have learned to conduct an excerpt from Maurice Ravel’s Bolero.
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Slatkin Conducts at NY Phil’s Bernstein Centennial Festival
Read moreNovember 7, 2017
Leonard Slatkin conducts the New York Philharmonic as they honor Leonard Bernstein in his 100th birthday year. Bernstein’s Philharmonic: A Centennial Festival is part of the worldwide salute to the legacy of the renowned composer, conductor, pianist, and educator.