J‹rvi, who has led the ensemble since 1990, leaves at the end of this season. Lacking a music director next season, the DSO has invited a string of guest conductors, at least some of whom are presumably candidates to replace him. Visiting conductors include Charles Dutoit, Rafael Fr‹hbeck de Burgos, Roger Norrington, JoAnn Falletta, Hugh Wolff, Mark Wigglesworth, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Andrey Boreyko, Peter Oundjian, and Nicolas McGegan.

Itzhak Perlman, who ends a four-year tenure as principal guest conductor this spring, returns to lead the season-opening concert, and J‹rvi himself will lead four weeks of programs as music director emeritus.

Highlights of the season include a series of five Concertos for Orchestra, including works by Bart‹k (whose 1944 example of the form is the most frequently heard), Hindemith, Kodšly, Lutoslawski, and Vivaldi.

Among the guest soloists scheduled to appear are violinist Midori, cellist Han-Na Chang, soprano Kathleen Battle, violinist Midori, soprano Barbara Bonney, and pianists Andr_ Watts and Peter Serkin.