G. Barry Epperley, founder and artistic director of the Signature Symphony.
G. Barry Epperley, who has led the Signature Symphony at Tulsa Community College for the past 33 years, will step down as the orchestra’s artistic director at the end of the 2013-2014 season.
“It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for some time,” Epperley said. “The reason we decided to put out an announcement now was that we want to spend the right amount of time to find someone to take over the orchestra.”
On Thursday, Epperley sent out a letter to Signature Symphony musicians, board members and patrons, explaining his decision to step down on July 31, 2014, which would mark the conclusion of the orchestra’s 35th season.
In the letter, Epperley writes: “I have decided that after 35 years on the podium with this wonderful group that this is probably a good time to kick off the next phase for the orchestra.
“The TCC administration and I have been discussing this plan for several months, and the TCC board will officially recognize my letter of resignation this week,” Epperley writes in the letter.
Epperley stated that his decision to leave the orchestra is not due to his health. Epperley underwent a procedure to correct his atrial fibrillation three years ago, but stated in the letter, "my health is fine and has no part in this decision."
Epperley has been the public face of the orchestra since he established the Tulsa Little Symphony in 1978. The orchestra later changed its name to the Oklahoma Sinfonia, and presented a variety of orchestral pops concerts at the Brady Theater.
In 1996, the orchestra moved to TCC’s newly opened VanTrease PACE and became the Signature Symphony, expanding its repertoire to include classical and pops concerts, as well as a broad range of educational activities with local schools.
The Signature Symphony is one of the oldest continually operating orchestras in the state. Only the Enid Symphony Orchestra, the Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra and the Lawton Philharmonic have been in operation longer.
That close association between Epperley and the orchestra was one of the reasons why Epperley wanted to make this announcement now.
“The last thing I want, after 35 years, would be that the orchestra would just stop,” he said. “This is an unusual setting, with the association with the college. But I’m confident we’ll be able to find a person who will take the orchestra to the next level, and maybe a few levels beyond that.”
Epperley said that the college and the orchestra’s administration will work with a Succession Planning Committee to solicit and evaluate applicants for the artistic director position. The finalists will be interviewed and go through an audition process during the 2014-2015 season.
Epperley said in the letter, “In the meantime, for the upcoming season I will be conducting many of the programs as usual. I am finalizing the programming for the 2013-2014 season, and it looks to be an exciting and fulfilling year of great music.”
