US conductor is convicted of child sex offence

US conductor is convicted of child sex offence

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norman lebrecht

August 02, 2017

Carlos Espinosa-Machado, 34, has pleaded no contest in Douglas County, Kansas, to one count of indecent liberties with a child and one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor for illicit purposes. He will be sentenced next month.

Espinosa-Machado is assistant professor and symphony orchestra director at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina.

Report here.

 

Comments

  • Respect says:

    On positive side, an orchestral opening for a female conductor!

  • Alex Davies says:

    Some people have strange priorities. While balancing the gender ratio in the conducting profession is a desirable outcome, I cannot believe that seeing a child’s life ruined is a price worth paying to see a vacancy created.

    • Bruce says:

      Believe it.

    • Robert Holmén says:

      The commenter is not the one who created this situation and hiding the situation so no one would “see” it would be foolish.

      Vacancies happen in jobs for unhappier reasons than this one but that hardly means the position must now go unfilled.

  • Una says:

    That’s the real world I’m afraid when work in the music world is so scarce and people need to.work AND get paid … and I’m no conductor so not looking for the job … It has nothing to do with the abuse which is a totally different and abhorrent situation.

  • Alex Davies says:

    My concern is with the phrasing: “On positive side, an orchestral opening for a female conductor!” While it is true that Mr Espinosa-Machado’s conviction creates a vacancy which could be filled be a woman, it seems odd, to say the least, to say, “On positive side …” I simply find it hard to believe that there can be a “positive side” to a 15-year-old girl being sexually abused. Surely nobody would say to Mr Espinosa-Machado’s victim herself, “There is a positive side to what happened to you.” Somebody’s career progression seems rather trivial compared with the often lifelong impact of child sexual abuse. Even if a statement contains an element of truth it does not necessarily have to be said; there is also a question of taste and tact.

  • martain smith says:

    “..an opening for a female conductor” – who the f…. cares about the gender.
    Musical talent and ethical conduct are the issues!
    “Respect” is truly the wrong nick for whoever this idiot is….

    • Bo says:

      100% agree, if people are ever gonna be happy about gender equality then we need to stop even considering anything but the qualifications in question.

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