Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra CEO Mary Briggs announces retirement; successor named

Mary Briggs is a rare figure. An icon, really.

Throughout the greater Lowcountry, generally, and in her role as president and CEO of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, specifically, she brings her intellect, her vibrancy, and her vision to everything she undertakes.

Impossible to imagine, Briggs has announced her retirement after a storied 12-year tenure with the symphony, effective Dec. 31, ... and further that Alan Jordan, currently the executive director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra will assume the role of president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2020.

The symphony today

Briggs has been recognized roundly for elevating the prestige, prominence and stature of the orchestra, and building quality and diversity in musical programming.

The outcome has been an impressive growth in subscribers, clearly reflected in the symphony’s attendance, which reached record levels. Concert performances, under her leadership, have doubled, growing from nine to this year’s 18 performances.

Others Briggs influences include expansion of a series of educational and youth initiatives, particularly the Youth Bridges Program, providing musical instruction in Lowcountry schools.

Then add SoundWaves, a combination of performance, meeting, and corporate space on Lagoon Road, which gives the orchestra a new outward and visible location.

In an interview Friday, Briggs talked about her daily activities and the variety of challenges she faced in her role.

“There have been some remarkable challenges for me,” said Briggs. “Some difficult and some rewarding.

“Most memorable on the high-challenge side occurred when the financial decline spread across the country. The arts communities everywhere, and on Hilton Head, too, needed to take aggressive steps to continue our standing and stature while reducing expenses. We all came together, the board, the orchestra, the staff, even the audiences, to take a serious look at what needed to be done ... and then do it.”

“My top-of-the-list favorite challenges and most memorable were associated with the arrival of our new music director, John Morris Russell, in 2011,” said Briggs. “For me and for the HHSO leadership, the members of the orchestra and our audiences ... the challenge of transitioning went smoothly and successfully.

“He became ‘JMR,’ immediately, and we all realized that not only was he a remarkable musician, he was a charismatic leader, with an infectious sense of humor. He brought energy to the symphony and everyone who interacted with him at all appreciated his imagination and his ability to inspire not only the musicians, but so many others ... especially our audiences, young and old.”

The road ahead

She shared that some of her goals are still on the drawing board, or are not fully met. Many involve more and more programs for the youth in the greater Lowcountry. Briggs was a 35-year educator — including principal at Hilton Head Elementary School and assistant superintendent of the Beaufort County School District — prior to accepting the job of orchestra executive director in 2008.

“Oh, and I mean it sincerely ... I’d hoped to build a concert hall,” said Briggs, who plans to remain on Hilton Head after wrapping up her official leadership role.

“I feel so strongly about that, that I’d happily head up a capital campaign to put that dream in place. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to enjoy all of the symphony, choral, and lots of other musical events, in a building created to support musical performance.”

Orchestra performances are now staged at First Presbyterian Church.

“By the way,” she added, “speaking of musical performance, a true gift to me will be the pinnacle of the concert season, Mendelssohn’s masterpiece, ‘Elijah,’ with a chorus of over 100 voices conducted by JMR. My absolute favorite.”

On Sunday at 5 p.m., Briggs welcomed the audience to the opening concert of the season. She offered several important announcements, then introduced Russell.

“How much I value all of these opportunities to deal directly with people who plan, organize, present and carefully cosset music and its related requirements,” she said. “I can’t imagine a calling in life, a passion, more satisfying than my association with the HHSO.”

Mary Briggs has served the orchestra with dazzling brilliance, grace and éclat.

This story was originally published October 21, 2019 at 5:27 PM.