Barbara Palermo, executive director of the Orange...

Barbara Palermo, executive director of the Orange County Chamber Orchestra since 1993, will leave the organization to join the Newport Beach fund-raising firm of Lawson, Grubbs and Associates, effective Jan. 2. In a statement issued Friday, Palermo called the move a “friendly departure,” although she added that “the orchestra is at a crossroads and the board needs to make important decisions regarding its continuance. There are no hard feelings. I just felt it was time to move on in my career.” The orchestra has not named her successor.

The orchestra was founded in 1983 by Micah Levy, who led it until he resigned in May to pursue graduate music studies in Baltimore. Diana Halprin, formerly the concertmaster, took over to lead her first concert of the orchestra in October. A month later, however, financial problems proved so severe that an orchestra concert was cut back to a two-part separate solo recital by Halprin and pianist William Wolfram. Levy is scheduled to lead the orchestra on its next program, Jan. 22 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. (714) 450-3180.

Compiled by Ken Williams