Uproar in China over incoming maestro

The Singaporean Darrell Ang was named last December as music director of the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra, as part of a revitalisation plan with the Singapore Symphony.

‘I have the opportunity to shape this orchestra in my image,’ said Ang at the time, admitting he spoke very little Mandarin before flying in to China.

We now hear from Rudolph Tang that he has fired two-fifths of the tutti players in what the musicians say was an unfair audition, run entirely by Ang and one other Singaporean, with no Chinese representation or any discussion with the musicians.

Ang has made a statement saying the audition was ‘legal and justified… video and audio taped throughout’.

The row has exploded onto Chinese social media. No Chinese orchestra has ever been treated this way before.

photo: Darrell Ang, Facebook selfie