Morlot first guest-conducted the Seattle Symphony in October 2009 . His second guest appearance with the Seattle Symphony was in April 2010 , as a substitute conductor following the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions , when he led a different program prepared with diminished rehearsal time . In June 2010 , the Seattle Symphony announced the appointment of Morlot as its 15th music director , effective with the 2011 – 2012 season , with an initial contract of six years . He held the title of music director designate during the 2010 – 2011 season . In July 2015 , the orchestra announced the extension of Morlot 's contract through the 2018 – 2019 season . On 21 April 2017 , the orchestra announced that Morlot would conclude his music directorship of the Seattle Symphony at the end of the 2018 – 2019 season , and on 11 June 2019 he was named conductor emeritus . Morlot made his first guest-conducting appearance at La Monnaie in 2011 . In June 2011 , La Monnaie announced Morlot 's appointment as its next music director , as of the 2012 – 2013 season , with an initial contract of 5 years . The Seattle and Brussels positions represented Morlot 's first music directorships of an orchestra and an opera company , respectively . In December 2014 , citing artistic differences , Morlot resigned from the directorship at La Monnaie , effective 31 December 2014 . He wrote : " I feel that the orchestra and I have not managed to reach a consensus on an artistic vision , and therefore , for the sake of their development as well as my own , I have made this decision to stand down . " Morlot served as the conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of China during its inaugural concert tour in 2017 , which included a sold-out performance with Yuja Wang at Carnegie Hall
2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions
2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull
Ludovic Morlot