The Honolulu Symphony board of directors yesterday said it will begin a national search for a successor to executive director Tom Gulick, who will step down when his contract expires June 30.

Gulick served three years as the symphony's executive director. He came to Honolulu following two years as executive director of the Orange County, Calif.-based Ballet Pacifica.

The symphony is trying to pull itself out of debt after suffering declining revenues. Musicians last year went 10 weeks without pay at one point. Gulick last September said the symphony has made good on all back pay and musicians got a 12.5 percent raise.

The board said Gulick helped secure $4 million in state funding and doubled the number of donors, from 1,642 to 3,303.

"The entire organization is grateful to Tom Gulick for having committed a considerable tenure during which the organization was able to plant important new seeds for its future growth in a number of critical areas," said Peter Shaindlin, chairman of the symphony board.