The music director of the Charlotte Symphony is severely cutting back the number of concerts he conducts, and has announced that he will step down entirely when his contract expires in 2009. “Perick has improved the orchestra musically, but has been frustrated by its precarious financial situation; at the end of the 2004-05 season the CSO had a deficit of $1.25 million, which is expected to increase when the audit for 2005-06 is completed.”