Since his appointment in July 2003, when the organization was recently out of receivership, Bregazzi has seen the orchestra through two successful seasons, each year reporting a financial surplus. During his tenure, he secured C$1 million in matching funds from Canadian Heritage, increased ticket sales, and hired music director Roberto Minczuk.

Bregazzi quipped to the Calgary Sun that he has tried to retire before. "This is the third time I've retired [from different positions], so we'll see if it sticks," he said.

He is retiring, he said, because it seems like the right time to do so. "When I came on, we had goals we wanted to accomplish and they are essentially done," he told the paper. "There is nothing sinister about it."