"I feel that the Southwest Florida Symphony has now reached a professional level that the entire community can be proud of," Nadler said in a statement. "I can now move on to new career opportunities awaiting me in both the national and international music scenes.

Nadler is a frequent guest conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and principal guest conductor of the Iasi Philharmonic Orchestra in Romania.

The SWFS plans to assemble a group of finalists to succeed Nadler by 2007, executive director Shirley Furry told the paper.