Breaking: Baltimore fires principal flute over social media posts

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has just dismissed principal flute Emily Skala over social media posts that were sceptical of Covid measures and the outcome of the 2020 election.

A statement says: ‘Principal Flutist Emily Skala has been dismissed from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in accordance with the progressive discipline policy agreed to in our collective bargaining agreement with the Musicians’ Association of Metropolitan Baltimore Local 40-543, AFM. Ms Skala has had discipline imposed upon her over these past few months; unfortunately, she has repeated the conduct for which she had been previously disciplined, and dismissal was the necessary and appropriate reaction to this behavior.’

Looking at Emily’s social media, she has posted nothing controversial in recent weeks, so the dismissal must relate to previous comments. We have asked for her response to this draconian action.

Emily Skala is an occasional commenter on slippeddisc.com. Her observations, which are sometimes challenging, have never gone beyond the bounds of reasonable expression and discussion.

Her dismissal is extraordinary and shocking. The orchestra has asked us to clarify that it involved ‘continued and repeated infractions’ and was not limited to contrary opinions on social media posts.

Emily Skala has previously been a guest principal with the London Philharmonic and Sao Paolo orchestras. She is a faculty member of the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, which is a world centre for Covid data.

UPDATE: The Baltimore Symphony’s president and CEO Peter Kjome has added this statement: ‘Ms. Skala has had discipline imposed upon her over these past few months for violating several policies; unfortunately, she has repeated the conduct for which she had been previously disciplined, and dismissal was the necessary and appropriate reaction to this behavior.’

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Read also: When an orchestra fires a principal player

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Previous Emily Skala controversies on slippedisc.com:

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has issued a statement, dissociating itself from the views of principal flute Emily Skala, who has posted a Covid-sceptic video. Read here.

Emily Skala has written to Slippedisc.com, describing herself an independent thinker and claiming that (s) she has been misunderstood and (b) the furore against her was raised by the girlfriend of the ex-husband of Baltimore’s 2nd flute. Read here.

Why is my orchestra such a hostile workplace? Read here.