On the musical side, Lockhart is particularly proud of some of the concerts he was able to conduct. "Bartok's 'Bluebeard's Castle' and Britten's 'War Requiem' are two major works I was fortunate enough to conduct. And I was so lucky to do Mahler's Eighth Symphony with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as part of the Tanner Gift of Music series."

Other things Lockhart cites as highlights of his time in Salt Lake City are the European tour and the CD that he and the Utah Symphony recorded a few years back, although he's disappointed there haven't been follow-ups to either one.

"But the good news is we're alive and kicking," he said.

After the financial hit the Utah Symphony — and every other American orchestra — took after Sept. 11, Lockhart is thrilled that audiences have returned to Abravanel Hall and that the organization is once again running in the black.

"Most of the money goes to sustain operations," he said, adding that this is one of the reasons why the orchestra hasn't gone on another tour or has recorded another album.

"We're close to doing another recording, though. (Former Mormon Tabernacle Choir director) Craig Jessop and I were hatching plans for a CD, but I don't know if it will go through (since Jessop has left the choir)," he said.

Administratively, Lockhart looks to the merger between the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera as a major milestone in his career in Utah. Lockhart was a fierce proponent of the merger. He believes that without the merger both organizations would be in dire financial straits today — if, in fact, the two could have survived as separate entities. "As one organization, we're in a bigger lifeboat together, and the waves rock you less."

Lockhart won't sever his ties with the Utah Symphony completely at the end of his tenure. He will return in the following two seasons as conductor laureate and lead the orchestra in at least two concerts each season.

"The number of concerts I'll be doing will be flexible, and my time as conductor laureate will bring some continuity to the symphony as it searches for my replacement."

Being able to spend more time with his family is the main reason Lockhart gives for stepping down.

"I have a young son, and sometimes I go seven weeks at a time without seeing him. I'm also in a new marital relationship. Maybe I'm going through a midlife crisis — I'll be almost 50 when I leave the Utah Symphony — but I want to focus on my personal life."

Having said that, Lockhart certainly has no plans to take early retirement. Far from it. He still has the Boston Pops, where he just completed his 14th season as conductor — the second longest tenure in Pops history after Arthur Fiedler.