Rockford, IL – The Rockford Symphony Orchestra announces that Executive Director Brian Ritter has accepted a position as the Executive Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra in New York and will be leaving the RSO by the end of July.

Ritter served as Executive Director of the RSO for five years. During his tenure, the RSO increased audience attendance and contributions, and launched an endowment campaign. He was named the 2009 General Manager of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras and earlier this month was named one of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Leaders Under 40.

The Albany Symphony is the oldest and only professional orchestra based in the Capital Region of New York. Under the artistic leadership of David Alan Miller, the ASO is one of this region’s most revered music and cultural organizations, having won numerous local, regional, and national awards for its adventurous programming of contemporary music.

“Brian has been an essential part of the RSO for more than five years and we are grateful for his dedication and passion for this organization,” says Board President Jim Gingrich. “As with all change, the RSO Board looks forward to making this transition an opportunity for the RSO.”

The RSO will begin the search process for a new executive director in the coming weeks.

Under the artistic leadership of Music Director Steven Larsen, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra is a leading arts organization in the Rockford Region and the third largest symphony orchestra in the state of Illinois. The RSO is made up of 85 professional musicians who perform 17 concerts per year--including classics, pops, ballet, and opera--for an estimated annual audience of 30,000. The RSO was named the 2007 Orchestra of the Year for Illinois. The RSO will celebrate its 75th anniversary during the 2009/10 season.