Breaking: New York Phil deletes its principal horn

Breaking: New York Phil deletes its principal horn

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norman lebrecht

September 19, 2017

After two and a half months of half-truths and equivocation, the New York Philharmonic last night deleted Phil Myers from its website.

 

 

Richard Deane is now listed as acting principal horn.

There has been no public statement or explanation.

The New York Philharmonic is a performing organisation. It appears before the public night after night. When one of its few real stars is made to disappear, an explanation is required – if only an interim explanation, while legal and union requirements are satisfied.

If the NY Phil cannot provide a truthful explanation it will bear even closer resemblance to North Korea, one of its favoured tourist venues.

 

 

 

Comments

  • Scotty says:

    “If the NY Phil cannot provide a truthful explanation it will bear even closer resemblance to North Korea, one of its chosen tourist venues.”

    Undoubtedly true! Just ask the family of the poor teenager who attempted to appropriate a poster advertising “Laibach Plays Favorites from ‘The Sound of Music'” from the lobby at Lincoln Center. Philharmonic thugs seized the boy and locked him in a Center rehearsal room until, either from stress, maltreatment, or exposure to the many bacteria of Lincoln Center’s notoriously filthy facilities, he lapsed into a coma. He was kept in that condition for almost two years until, near death, he was returned to his parents.

    There is no evidence that Richard Deane received better treatment.

    Visit the New York Philharmonic at your own peril!

  • Mike Schachter says:

    Sorry to be a bit negative, but US classical music does not see too healthy just now, in any sense

    • Roger R says:

      Too many vying for the Rich’s money. And, people would rather kick back with a beer and technology after a hard day’s work. Orchestras need to figure out a way to tap into the vast reservoir of wealth–possibly with a click–without impinging on rich people’s time and energy.
      That Zuckerberg figured out a way to get very, very rich tapping into human narcissism and laziness. He’s made enough with that to field all American Orchestras for about a century.
      For starters, most Americans could not care less than they do about orchestras and classical music. That’s a huge hurdle.

  • Jonathan Dunsby says:

    ==North Korea, one of its chosen tourist venues.

    NYPO only went there once – to play potboilers – a number of years ago.

    • Bread makes crumbs, horns make cracks says:

      and FWIW Phil Myers had a really hard time with the Dvorak New World solo that they played there. The audio is patched on the DVD (not video – you can see the confused fingers), but the live broadcast had the very important clams loud and clear. As a horn player myself, I am filled with compassion and understanding for missing that solo as he did, but I also think the North Korea thing is ironic given Phil’s troubles there.

      • Wai kit leung says:

        I also watched the DVD. I wonder if the food shortage in North Korea had something to do with Mr. Myers’ trouble?

  • phf655 says:

    Did anybody think that this method of handling the news might represent a tactful means of avoiding embarassment to the parties involved (the orchestra’s administration and Mr. Myers? This would be particularly true if Myers’ dismissal was related to difficulties in relationships between members of the orchestra, as was earlier mentioned on this website. Perhaps the parties signed an agreement wherein both parties were required to remain silent.
    And in keeping with the anti-American and anti-New York bias of this website, most of the negative news of the American orchestral scene reported on this site comes from small regional orchestras that are barely known outside of their communities. Many of your readers probably forget that there are thirty-one American states that have land areas larger than that of England, so it is unfair to generalize.
    And the New York Philharmonic has many star principals – it is hard to always recognize their quality in the unfortunate acoustical environment of David Geffen Hall.

  • Robert Holmén says:

    It’s a performing organization, not a reality show. The behind-the-scenes-stuff is not the product so, no, they’re not obligated to PR every stumble.

    Perhaps, in recognition of his many years of stellar service, they are parting in a mutually agreed manner, and what you see is it.

    Has an intrepid arts blogger contacted Phil Myers for his comment yet? That’s what would happen in any other high-profile departure where the nation’s security was at stake.

    • Mati Braun says:

      Very well said, It is a private matter.

    • Quattro Fromage says:

      There have been a few sexual harassment cases in the NYP, and the people involved are barred from speaking to anyone about it by the arbitrators. One of the worst involved oboist Joseph Robinson, who harassed a very young, new, female orchestra member in the 80s. Everyone is legally forbidden to comment on the matter.

  • herrera says:

    Why shouldn’t North Korea be a favoured tourist venue? It’s a lot less dangerous than the US.

    US North Korea
    1) use of atomic
    bombs to kill civilians 1 0
    2) invaded foreign countries 10 0
    3) missiles launched that
    actually killed 100,000 0
    4) foreign citizens killed
    on foreign soil 1,000,000 0

    • Scotty says:

      You’ve made your own point. All of the things you list happened outside of the States, including, for some items, Korea.

      If you’re worried about having a nuclear weapon dropped on your B-and-B, visit America. It’s safe!

    • Bruce says:

      Actually the US’s score is 2 for your first item.

    • Mark Henriksen says:

      You might want to revise your little data table to include the war in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea and 1.2 million South Koreans (mostly civilians) were killed. Oh, another 1 million of the invaders also died. You are at the right blog for mindless, out of context, US – bashing, but at least sprinkle it with a little accuracy, for effect.

  • Roger R says:

    I always thought I could not go on after Charlton Heston, my all-time hero, ever, bought the farm, but, here I am, decades later. And Hollywood’s still there, crankin’ out product.
    Forrest and his students have had a great run. That’s what you get. A great run. Then, it’s time for someone else to get theirs. It’s not Mannheim Rocket science. Myers will go on. NY Phil will go on. Forrest has gone.
    You’re all going to be OK. Get a grip. Trust me. If you need a Myers/Phil hit from time to time, go to YouTube. There was a time, after all, when once a good player croaked, you never heard him/her again. We’re living in great times. (I wonder if Trump ever heard Myers?) And, BTW, it can’t be easy playing the FH at 70ish. Things wear out.

    • William Kryder says:

      I heard Myron Bloom at 75 play all of Brahms Trio … wonderful

      Phil Myers at 68 is not done yet!!!

  • Hornguy says:

    Given how public matters of tenure are for high-profile orchestra musicians (look no further than the Alex Klein/CSO matter earlier in the year), it’s likely that this was a negotiated dismissal precipitated by the employer’s intent to otherwise pursue termination for non-artistic reasons. And in that case, it’s standard practice in the U.S. for those types of agreements to include non-disparagement language. Any attorney worth their salt would make sure that the employer’s requirement was binding not just on leadership but also to its employees. Again, wouldn’t be surprised if musicians and staff have also been instructed to not speak publicly about the matter, or to refer any inquiries to a specific contact in administration. This is crisis communications 101.

    While not beneficial to the Nosy Rosies of the world who believe they’re entitled to know everything, non-disparagement language is greatly beneficial to the parties involved. Typically, the employee gets a nice sum of money to go away quietly, and the organization avoids having its dirty laundry aired in the press. Everyone wins except the bloggers.

      • Nancy Wilken says:

        Stunned is an understatement DEFINITELY “Fake” News which has become Reality. A good PR Director
        owes to their subscribers, current & future SOME KIND of explanation. Even during the “Bing” years & now
        Gelb currently @ Met Opera RELEASE SOMETHING. + 10 for me!

  • Bruce says:

    Wow, it seems like NL is really desperate for this to be a scandal and not just a retirement. Does NL have inside information (in the form of “unproven allegations,” perhaps), or is he just stirring the pot? Sometimes even unpleasant, controversial people simply retire.

    I was about to say that the comparison to North Korea was a stretch, but on second thought, I won’t. I’m not sure anything is too much of a stretch for NL.

    • Edward Alley says:

      I agree. It seems that the esteemed NL is just about as anti-American as is Mr. Kim Il from North Korea. NL has a clever way of planting seeds, not unlike Don Basilio in the Barber of Seville— “La Calunia”, “Start a rumor, feed it, and very soon it gets around all by itself.” Yes, NL, must sit back and chortle at the way his sometimes insidious insinuations really stir the pot. NL is brilliant man with lots of knowledge and many good ideas, but at this time of his life he gives every appearance of someone who delights in setting things up to cause a bit of chaos here and there. Remind you of someone with orange hair and skin who lives in our Mid-Atlantic area?
      I was Orchestra Manager of the NYPhilharmonic some thirty odd years ago, and know that like every great orchestra, it has its ups and downs and ins and outs and goods and bags. But it is still a great orchestra, in spite of the acoustic eccentricities of now David Geffen Hall, and those acoustics depend on where one sits. Anyone can sit back and criticize orchestra players and management, but ask them to do some thing, and again, like that man with the orange hair and fragile ego, they just continue to throw rocks.
      Alas, it was ever so, and will always be. Seems like there is always room for one more curmudgeon–or as I like to say, “Resident Hangnail.”

  • Dan P. says:

    My question is this: why is this employment decision anyone’s legitimate business? I know we’re used to getting this kind of news from the celebrity gossip outlets, but this mania for entering Mr. Myer’s private life is really creepy. For those who feel it’s their business, how would you feel if you were sacked and then, due to public demand, your employer told the news paper about your private business to satisfy gossip needs? Hornguy, above, has it right. Most likely they had a negotiated settlement with a confidentiality clause and that, as they say, should be the end of the matter. I think too many folks feel they own the rights to the personal lives of others for their own personal entertainment. This matter is really none of our legitimate business.

    • Nancy Wilken says:

      Why all this protection of transparancy
      for a “Home” Orchestra seeking support from privste & public donations? Must admit I am unaware of the “news”; However Maestro Levine took “exposure” of personal pronlems even though Mr Gelb “roasted” him in the Press. A public figure including President Trump takes
      publicity unduly. A long time fine muscian has strength too! All this tempest in a teapot plain ridiculous (my opinion)

    • Rodrigo says:

      Any orchestral musician making over $100 K a year deserves my attention. Price of fame.

      • Roger R says:

        I doubt he made that much. More like in the $30-40K range. He’s only a horn player.

        • David Evans says:

          Wrong. He made at least between $200-300K.

          • Roger R says:

            Not possible. If horn players made that much, there’d be a glut on the market. Orchestra players only work about 1/4 time. No one working that little gets paid that much, except top tier athletes. There must be some mistake. An orchestra board would have to work 24/7/365 to pry that much money out of the rich year after year just to field the orchestra. They wouldn’t do that, especially when they have to pay some big name conductor a couple grand a concert and then all the other section players. Then, they have to pay big name soloists a fortune. Not possible. Nope. You gotta be mistaken. Besides, I bet there are great horn players all over the place who’d love to do Myer’s job for pennies on the dollar.

          • Mark Henriksen says:

            He made around $400k. Its on the internet at the philharmonic website. Thats what the music world thought of his abilities.

        • David Evans says:

          For some reason your later comment doesn’t have a “reply” button on my screen, so I will reply here:

          “Not possible. If horn players made that much, there’d be a glut on the market. Orchestra players only work about 1/4 time. No one working that little gets paid that much, except top tier athletes. There must be some mistake. An orchestra board would have to work 24/7/365 to pry that much money out of the rich year after year just to field the orchestra. They wouldn’t do that, especially when they have to pay some big name conductor a couple grand a concert and then all the other section players. Then, they have to pay big name soloists a fortune. Not possible. Nope. You gotta be mistaken. Besides, I bet there are great horn players all over the place who’d love to do Myer’s job for pennies on the dollar.”

          Except horn players do make that much. You do realize the lowest paid members of the NY Phil make about $150K, right? Not sure what your problem is; do you live on another planet or something? You don’t seem to know much about the business. Top tier players in top tier orchestras make a lot of money; $30-40K is an average salary for an average orchestra. Not the New York Philharmonic.

          • Scotty says:

            From the New York Times, 2013: “Those raises will lift the base salary at the Philharmonic, which is now $137,644 a year, to $146,848 in September 2016, officials said, which is still less than the current base salary for players at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.”

            Add a big chunk for being Principal.

          • Roger R says:

            Failing Donald Trump says “the Failing New York Times” is “Fake News” and I’m to believe what they print about musician’s salaries??
            Nope. Not me. BTW, do you think Failing Don gives to his hometown orchestra?

          • MacroV says:

            Yes. Top players in top US orchestras generally earn several hundred thousand a year. The top concertmasters are now earning in the range of $500k. Myers was likely paid in the $300-400k range. Plus, New York is a really expensive city.

          • David Wetherill says:

            Great horn players are, and always have been, in very short supply. That is why the same person won principal positions in Dallas, DC, and Berlin. Whether he was liked or not, Phil Myers achieved the pinnacle of his profession, and he earned that money. If you think it is easy, just try it. Please, go ahead. We are waiting.

          • Roger R says:

            What does it mean if you’re the greatest Fr. Horn player in the universe and have no social skills?
            There are a lot of people who make a lot of money, are revered by sycophants, and can’t navigate in society with others. Failing Trump is just one example.
            I don’t care how much $$ a person earns. It means nothing. And I can assure you, the NYP will find a replacement, and he/she may be an even better horn player than Myers. Let’s just hope they’re a better person, if the reason Myers got canned has to do with his behavior.
            People’s comments on this story have everything to do with themselves and nothing to do with Myers. They think everyone cares about their opinion. The NYP is a business. A big business. What happened is business. That’s all. Myers, the employee, screwed up, apparently, and that’s it. Who cares how he plays the horn? All that time he spent practicing scales, etudes and excerpts, some of it he should have spent being a better person. Then, we wouldn’t be here now.

          • William Safford says:

            Um, Roger R, lecturing David Weatherill about playing horn is a bit like lecturing Warren Buffett about investing.

            As for what you wrote: “People’s comments on this story have everything to do with themselves and nothing to do with Myers. They think everyone cares about their opinion.”

            I agree. Have you looked in the mirror recently?

          • Roger R says:

            This I know. There is a glut of fabulous musicians all over the world. On every orchestra instrument. Myers can and will be replaced, relatively easily. Tomorrow, if management and the committee chooses. Maybe before the committee listens to the candidate play, they can put them through a battery of psychological tests to ascertain their personality “fit” for the orchestra. Musicians are a tough group. Say to the candidate, we know you can play the solo in Tchaikovsky’s 5th, but are you able to function in a section with 5 or 6 other players, or the whole orchestra, in a way that contributes to the well being of the section and the orchestra? If not, we’ll can you.
            BTW, The whole NYP or any major orchestra could drop out of sight later today and that orchestra could still perform “tomorrow,” with replacements, and few, if any, would notice a difference. That’s how Golden the age of Musicians now is we’re living in. Making the public believe otherwise is a mystique perpetuated by elitist snobs.
            Also, I don’t much care about Warren Buffett. I know he impresses some people. Like Myers, he’ll be gone someday too.

          • William Safford says:

            To Roger R:

            Translation: no, you haven’t looked in the mirror.

            Got it.

          • Roger R says:

            To William Safford:

            I looked in the mirror and didn’t see a gossiping sycophant name dropper who tries to impress others with his self-proclaimed inside knowledge of an elitist arts organization.

          • William Safford says:

            Try again, Roger R. This time, try viewing critically rather than gazing longingly.

            The following may help you get started.

            You wrote: “I doubt he made that much. More like in the $30-40K range. He’s only a horn player.”

            This is false. You are wrong. His salary is or was far higher.

            Instead of acknowledging your error, you doubled down: “Not possible. If horn players made that much, there’d be a glut on the market. Orchestra players only work about 1/4 time. No one working that little gets paid that much, except top tier athletes. There must be some mistake. An orchestra board would have to work 24/7/365 to pry that much money out of the rich year after year just to field the orchestra. They wouldn’t do that, especially when they have to pay some big name conductor a couple grand a concert and then all the other section players. Then, they have to pay big name soloists a fortune. Not possible. Nope. You gotta be mistaken. Besides, I bet there are great horn players all over the place who’d love to do Myer’s job for pennies on the dollar.”

            This time you mixed in several ignorant and fatuous observations with your falsehoods.

            Once you became aware that your initial assertion was false, subsequent reiterations became lies.

            Etc.

            There is nothing wrong with being ignorant. Every day is another opportunity to learn something new.

            It’s what you do about your ignorance that separates the genuinely curious from the stubbornly ignorant, or the participant from the troll.

        • Georges Sandy says:

          In 2015, Myers is listed on the tax form 990 as earning $399,900. Tax forms are public at guidestar.org. Principal horn is ALWAYS in the top-earning five musicians. Others are usually concertmaster, principal viola/cello, principal oboe, principal trumpet, principal flute. Concertmaster Dicterow made $50K less, and principal oboe was highest paid, at $411K. NYP base pay is $110K+ for any musician. The primo seats get much more.

          • NYMike says:

            The current NY Phil contract is up for renegotiation but will be on hold while new management settles in. Any gains will be retroactive to this season’s start. Annual minimum wage for a TENURED musician – approx. $148k not including various chair overages, longevity bumps, pension and health benefits. Dichertow’s final salary was $550+k. The ’15 form 990 shows less because he retired at the end of the ’14-’15 concert season – different from the 990’s whole ’15 year’s computation.

        • Quattro Fromage says:

          Myers made $399,900 in 2015, the most recently available 990 tax return. You can look it up on Guidestar. The only musician making more was principal oboe. Base pay for the NYP is over $110K, for any player, plus benefits and 10 weeks off.

        • William Kryder says:

          He was The Horn player — obviously you never had to hit a high Bflat after an hour of playing … South Bend paper had his gig tabbed at 6 figures back in 1980 when he got job.

  • Zamboni says:

    Mr Myers was dismissed, or made to retire, for disciplinary reasons. There was an incident while the NYPO was on tour in Vail, Colorado, this summer, and it was dealt with swiftly by the orchestra. You can decide for yourself whether it’s because of NYPO management’s efficiency or the severity of the incident.

    I have had this information verified by several NYPO’s members.

  • Peter Gross says:

    What does “acting” principal horn actually mean?

    • Roger R says:

      Not contracted and named Prin. Horn. They have to run auditions for the position, as if they don’t know who the next FH1 will be. They likely do. I don’t think it’ll be Little Boy Blue.

      • NYMike says:

        Either you’re a troll or just a blowhard knowing NOTHING about the music business. Deane is a contracted assoc. principal horn. Your past comments show you to be an obnoxious commenter who shouldn’t be here. Why not go to another website where you might actually know something….

    • William Safford says:

      “Acting” means that someone is not a tenured occupant of the position.

      Typically, there is a lag between when a position opens up, due to retirement, resignation, death, etc., and when it is filled by audition. The lag can last a few weeks, months, or even years.

      The acting player may or may not be a regular member of the ensemble.

  • MacroV says:

    Some announcement about his departure by the Philharmonic does seem in order. Surely given Myers’ age and length of tenure, it wouldn’t be hard to portray this as a retirement, even if there’s more to the story.

  • Nardo Poy says:

    Now, that’s indeed a very strange statement by Mr. Lebrecht. The situation was one in which there was an aggrieved party and certainly there are some very delicate legal issues involved. Trying to shame the NY Philharmonic into divulging something of such a delicate nature with such language is somewhat shameful. By the way, this is not breaking news. This has been the situation since their European tour this past spring.

    • Georges Sandy says:

      In the past with this sort of thing at the NYP, an arbitration agreement prevented parties from speaking about the incident. This was the case many years ago with oboist Joseph Robinson and sexual harassment of a female orchestra member.

  • Anon. says:

    I am unimpressed with your continued coverage of this situation. I don’t suppose you will stop until the New York Philharmonic issue a statement explaining the situation. They haven’t either because it is an ongoing legal matter or the issue has been resolved internally. I know if I was Mr. Meyers I would be very upset and angry to see stories or mere speculation about me spread about on this public forum. These musicians are real people with feelings and sensitivity and not characters in Norman Lebrecht’s Symphony Orchestra Soap Opera. I doubt my comment will make you reconsider the stories or the slant you give them when you post them.

    • David Evans says:

      Who ever said they have to address the reason why he’s gone? All I (and probably plenty of others) want is a short statement acknowledging his long and legendary tenure, thanking him and wishing him the best. Of course no one has the right to know all the details of *why*, but it wouldn’t be hard to at least give the guy a pat on the back after 37 years there.

      The NY Phil is acting as though none of their years/decades-long subscribers will notice one of the orchestra’s most prominent characters suddenly being gone. It looks very bad on their part for not giving him some sort of small recognition, let alone a “The Philip Myers Collection” 3-disc album release like Philip Smith and Glenn Dicterow both received (who were, I might add, not even at the Philharmonic as long as Myers was). The orchestra looks very bad in all this, and is making the situation far worse than it has to be. People will not have as much to gossip about if the NY Phil actually treats the man with some decency and issues a public goodbye statement. They are trying to scrub his very existence from the orchestra, hoping no one will notice. Doesn’t work like that.

  • Ray says:

    I think it is more that in the past, retiring principals have had more fanfare upon the announcement of their departure. For Glenn Dicterow and Philip Smith, the New York Philharmonic announced their retirement and released recording collections to celebrate their tenure. For Philip Myers, they suddenly just deleted him off the website overnight. The reason for retirement is not important, but to pretend a world renowned player with a tenure of 37+ years never existed in that orchestra seems wrong. The Philharmonic did not explain the circumstances around the retirements of past principals, so why should this be any different? There are a large amount of people out there who very much enjoyed this man’s tenure and what he did with the horn, and it seems wrong to cheat them of the same announcement and recording collection that have been typical of retiring principals of the past.

  • Irene Quirmbach says:

    Phil Meyers behaved badly and his dismissal came as no surprise to his colleagues. This matter had absolutely nothing to do with his playing abilities.

  • herrera says:

    Those who know are not talking.
    Those who are talking don’t know.

    Sunshine is the best policy.

    The world of principal horn players for major international orchestras is a very small world. Chicago has yet to get one after many years of search. Berlin just snagged an available one from Dallas. So if any of the select few decide that New York is not worth the risk because if its perceived personnel policies, New York will not get the best horn player it could get.

    There will be repercussions on the other principal brass positions at NY, people may decide to leave, or not apply for positions that open up.

    Open up, Deborah Borda. What happened?

    The White House leaks, but not the New York Philharmonic, lol!

    • Roger R says:

      This is fun, isn’t it? Risk? What in the world do you mean by that?

      • William Safford says:

        There are several possible kinds of risk.

        For example, it is possible for the player to win the audition, perform with the orchestra for a year or two on probation, then not get tenure.

        It is almost a guarantee that any horn player qualified to win an audition for principal horn of the New York Philharmonic will already be a tenured horn player in another orchestra. Often the player can take a leave of absence from the other orchestra, but that may not last for the full duration of the probation period. So, a player could give up a tenured position in another orchestra, not make tenure in the new orchestra, and be out of two jobs.

        There’s also the risk that the player may not be a good fit with the new orchestra, for whatever reason. That’s just like the risk any other person takes when starting a new job. But again, it can involve giving up tenure in another job before making this discovery.

        As Herrera mentioned, there is also risk to the orchestra and its reputation. Now, New York is such an important orchestra that it will not want for applicants. But a bad reputation could theoretically dissuade the cream of the crop from auditioning there.

  • Rodrigo says:

    Oh, come on. Someone tell us what he did. What is “behaving badly” supposed to mean? If had nothing to do with his playing, there should be no shame in it for him.

    • Dan P. says:

      I feel like I’m reading the People Magazine – or maybe the Tiger Beat – blog with all the 12-year-old girls wanting to know the REAL reason why Justin and Selena broke up.

      • Rodrigo says:

        But this ISN’T Justin and Selena. It’s the Principal Horn of the NYPhil who’s been there for 37 years. It’s a pretty big deal.

        • Dan P. says:

          Yes – but it’s nobody’s business except for Mr. Myers and the Philharmonic. It’s just like if you were let go from your job, it would be nobody’s business except yours and your employer’s. And the degree to which one is well known is not the degree to which one loses his/her right to privacy.

  • Nelson says:

    “If the NY Phil cannot provide a truthful explanation it will bear even closer resemblance to North Korea, one of its favoured tourist venues.”

    Really? You have to make such a ridiculous comparison? Very offensive. Sounds like something Trump would tweet. Shock jock stuff….

    • Rodrigo says:

      So here’s my question: why don’t they just call it a retirement? He’s served his time. He’s the right age. It’s a credible reason, no matter what happened.

      • herrera says:

        Unless…the victim is also an orchestra member of the Philharmonic, in which case, it would be impossible for management to paper over it and call it a retirement and seemingly endorse his “bad behavior” and to cover things up, exposing the Philharmonic to a lawsuit by the victim for allowing a hostile work place environment.

        If silence was the best policy for all parties involved, then the underlying behavior must have been pretty bad.

        • David Evans says:

          But the argument could be made that by hoping it goes away silently, they are already “covering things up”. Even so, I do not see how praising someone’s playing career is “endorsing bad behavior”; if I praise someone for something they’re good at, does that mean that I also praise everything else they’ve ever done in their life? No…

  • Roger R says:

    Old men can do some pretty strange things. Even if they’re famous and blow the horn.
    Singers have resonance where they’re supposed to have brains and wind players often times blow their brains out.

  • Jasper says:

    Thomas Stacy, the renowned English horn player, abruptly left the NY Phil in October 2010, just two weeks into that season. The reasons were never publicly stated, although there was scuttlebutt that it had to do with a dispute with Alan Gilbert.

    To this day the NY Phil website has no indication that a permanent successor has been named.

    Does anyone remember whether the NY Phil made an announcement as to Stacy’s departure?

    Jasper

    • William Safford says:

      Hmmm. I was about to contradict you, since I heard the open rehearsal in which the two finalists for the EH chair both performed. I was under the impression that one was chosen.

      However, I checked, and I don’t see the name listed. Grace’s name is still listed as acting EH, and it’s made clear that she’s a substitute.

      • Jasper says:

        Hard to believe that SEVEN (7) years after Stacy’s departure, a permanent successor has not yet been named by the NY Phil. Much longer than it took to replace Glenn Dicterow, Stanley Drucker, and Philip Smith.

        Jasper

  • Ben says:

    It’s eerily an Wall Street style termination. The person simply “disappeared” from the corporate directory quietly, without notice. This is usually related to very serious offense (criminal offense, gun/weapon in the workplace, drug abuse, sexual harassment, repeated age/gender/race discrimination, work-place harassment or violence, etc)

    This kind of termination usually comes with non-disclosure agreement as well. The employer wants no litigation nor liability. The ex-employee wants no risk with the pension nor separation benefits.

    So don’t expect any side to speak up. It’s anybody’s guess on what happened.

    P.S. NY Phil’s trip to North Korea is still head-scratching stunt.

    • Quattro Fromage says:

      “It’s anybody’s guess on what happened.”

      No, many people know what happened. He sexually harassed and violently threatened a female horn sub on tour.

      • FoolontheHill says:

        Doesn’t his girlfriend play cello in the orchestra?

      • Rodrigo says:

        That’s actually very easy to deduce from this thread. 1. no one’s talking because there was a victim in the orch. 2. since no one was murdered, had to be a victim of sexual harassment. 3. most probable scenario for sexual harassment by a Principal player would be a sub in his section. There you have it.

      • Steve P says:

        Since the victim has stepped forward and pressed charges we know this is true.
        Or maybe not.

  • R Roth says:

    @William Safford, “Try again, Roger R. This time, try viewing critically rather than gazing longingly.”
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Are you that full of yourself? You must work for the Failing Trump Administration. If not, apply. They’d be delighted to have you. Viewing critically?? Gazing longingly?? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    • William Safford says:

      Thank you. I rather liked that turn of phrase.

      I am pointing out falsehoods and ignorant opinions, to a source of them in this discussion.

      Do you have any facts or informed opinions to share with us, that contradict the facts as extracted from such sources as public IRS forms? If so, do share them with us.

      As for my opinion of Trump, whom I have not mentioned in this discussion: why don’t you do a search of Slipped Disc, and read what I have posted about him, then get back to us.

      • Roger R says:

        I’m putting people on.
        Someone earlier wrote they felt they were reading People Magazine and I thought that was the best comment on the board.
        I like to bait the conversation just to see how idiotic it can get. I’m a classic troll. I’m honest about that. Notwithstanding that I’m trolling in my career field and I do know the subject.
        Finally, I’m not going to research your Trump posts. If you’re as disgusted by him as I am then you can’t be all bad.

        • William Safford says:

          In other words, you have wasted our time and bandwidth.

          How contemptible.

          At least you confessed to it.

          • Roger R says:

            I hope you’ll forgive me! But, before you hate me for wasting your time, don’t forget that I also wasted my own. That’s what comment boards do. I seldom benefit from commenting or from reading replies. I think I might need therapy. I’ve always found elitist arts sycophants commenting on orchestras entertaining, nonetheless. You might be interested to know I knew Myer’s teacher and could tell you a few things about him, too. But, that’s for another day. Cheerio!!

  • Nancy Wilken says:

    Since when did NYPhilharmonic become ethos of “Silicon Valley” & the “women harassment blog”? Very unprofessional remarks akin to FaceBook intrusions now becoming the norm
    of a world “twittering”! Disappointed re pettiness of responders!

  • Scotty says:

    I am NEVER clicking “Notify me of followup comments via e-mail” again!

  • Paul N Fasone says:

    Not all partnerships, musical or otherwise end smoothly or predictably. The important thing is that both parties handle the separation with class and discretion. Aside from the management of the Philharmonic and Mr. Myers, no one should be privy to any details leading to this separation. This is a basic privacy right of everyone including those posting on this thread.

    To question the relevance of the symphony orchestra is preposterous. As an institution / artistic genre, it will outlive the social media paradigms of Mark Zuckerberg and others. I have to admit, it was nosy of me to even land on this thread, but there seems to be a lot of unnecessary pettiness and sour grapes.

    We should all be thankful for the way music enriches our lives. There is a divine blessing in this that we should stop to cherish and allow negativity to melt away. Such negative energy only detracts from the joy and inspiration that music can bring to our lives.

  • Morris Belemans says:

    Until we get clarity as to why Myers left/etc…—–We shall not attend any more concerts played by carefully controlled robots and folks going through the motions to anemic, geriatric audiences at Avery Fischer.

    J’aime le son du cor, le soir au fond des bois!

  • kbayquoi says:

    Maybe, just maybe…John Cerminaro will come out of retirement and assume the position.

  • Morris Belemans says:

    We vote for Scott Reeds from that music academy in the west, he can give up his $350K+ salary off of musak and help fill in for the NY Phil by helping that french horn section–maybe get Julie Landsmin in there to. She likes to smile, and tell nice stories, and is a smoothy, and picks favourites too. Just ask Trevor Nickols and Shelby Nugint.

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