“Robert Moody is leaving the Portland Symphony Orchestra, but not for another three years,” reports Bob Keyes in Tuesday’s (5/5) Portland Press Herald (Maine). “Moody, who completed his seventh season as music director this past weekend, told the orchestra board Monday that he will step down after the 2017-18 season. That will mark 10 seasons for Moody in Portland and the fulfillment of his initial contract and extension. ‘I just turned 48 on Saturday,’ Moody said Monday. ‘I am not thinking about retirement, but I am thinking about a life-simplification plan. I want to spend more quality time with my partner.… I would like to explore other avenues for making music that are difficult to explore when I have three music director jobs to juggle.’ In addition to working as music director in Portland, Moody is music director at the Winston-Salem Symphony in North Carolina, where he lives, and at Arizona MusicFest.… Lisa Dixon French, the symphony’s executive director, said having so much advance notice means the symphony can be thorough in the search for Moody’s replacement.… French also is leaving the orchestra. She announced her departure this year, and will move to Nashville with her husband in the fall.”
Posted May 5, 2015
