Robert Moody is leaving the Portland Symphony Orchestra, but not for another three years.

Moody, who completed his seventh season as music director this past weekend, told the orchestra board Monday that he will step down after the 2017-18 season. That will mark 10 seasons for Moody in Portland and the fulfillment of his initial contract and extension.

“I just turned 48 on Saturday,” Moody said Monday. “I am not thinking about retirement, but I am thinking about a life-simplification plan. I want to spend more quality time with my partner. Life becomes more than just about constantly climbing the career ladder. I would like to explore other avenues for making music that are difficult to explore when I have three music director jobs to juggle.”

In addition to working as music director in Portland, Moody is music director at the Winston-Salem Symphony in North Carolina, where he lives, and at Arizona MusicFest.

In recent years, Moody said he has received many offers to guest-conduct at orchestras around the world. He wants more time to pursue those opportunities.

Lisa Dixon French, the symphony’s executive director, said having so much advance notice means the symphony can be thorough in the search for Moody’s replacement. A national search will begin in the fall, she said.

“It gives us time to plan ahead and put a search together and do it well,” she said. “We are a strong organization, and feel confident we will find the right, dynamic music director who will help propel us forward.”

French also is leaving the orchestra. She announced her departure this year, and will move to Nashville with her husband in the fall.

The orchestra completed its 90th season Saturday by bringing back three men who have led the orchestra over the years: Paul Vermel, Bruce Hangen and Toshiyuki Shimada. They joined Moody to conduct the season finale.

Collectively, the four music directors have led the orchestra since 1967. Shimada was the longest-tenured, with 20 years at the conductor’s stand.

Moody said he gave the early announcement as a courtesy.

“This is not a change from our original plan,” he said. “I have said since I first got here, 10 years seemed about the appropriate length of tenure. We’ve done a lot in seven years. We have more to do.”