Conductor explains why he asked mother and child to move

Michael Tilson Thomas has given his version of events at a Miami concert, which he interrupted to request a front-row patron to change her seat.

He told WQXR:  The child ‘was moving around and leaning up against her mother, putting her head up on her mother’s lap,” said the conductor. “She was restless. And I’m sure she had no idea of how visible she was to the whole rest of the audience, not to mention people outside’ (the performance was broadcast to a video wall outside the hall).

Ahead of the third movement solo by cellist Rosanna Butterfield, ‘I thought, “how can I calm the situation down and make sure that the music can happen?” So I asked the mother in a very calm and respectful voice, “I’m sorry, it’s just hard for us to keep our concentration. Would you mind moving to one side?'” He pointed to some seats along the periphery of the stage.

The woman felt uncomfortable, and left the hall.

Read the interview here.

UPDATE: What he should have done. Read here.