Assessing Year One Of The Robertson Era

David Robertson’s first year as music director of the St. Louis Symphony has been, in musical terms, an unqualified success. Robertson’s programming was innovative, his concerts well-received, and critics noted a sharp uptick in the orchestra’s playing. But ticket sales slumped badly for the SLSO this year, a possible after-effect of a musicians’ strike in 2005, and the organization is still struggling to find a way to make itself relevant and appealing to a broader audience.