Conductor sacked for bullying sues for age discrimination
NewsMark Shanahan was head of music at the National Opera Studio in London from 2010 to 2021, when he was accused of ‘intimidating, bullying and possibly discriminatory’ behaviour and summarily dismissed.
Apparently, one of the students complained about his use of pronouns.
Shanahan is guest professor of conducting at the Royal Academy of Music and other leading institutions.
He expects a full tribunal hearing before the year is out. More here.
Yes, by al means, let’s trust the Daily Mail on a topic like this. And even they mention that “other staff members and coaches at the studio also raised complaints about his conduct to the Chief Executive”. But pronouns work better if you want an uproar in the comment section of course.
Just shoot me.
Stark staring bonkers. The person who made the complaint (she, he or it) is fit only for the funny farm. Those who sacked him are running the farm. Maybe I’ll be expelled from SD for that remark…
“Tribunal”? Just admit it’s a Maoist Cultural Revolution all over again.
I was so pleased when I heard he’d gone. Such a bully. Disgusting human being. Destroyed so many good people.
What’s your real name ? Be brave.
Yes, by all means let’s expose him…let’s get him/her…or them!
I played under Mark a number of times over several years, in more than one orchestra, and never saw even a hint of bullying or unpleasantness, ever. An interesting and engaging man and conductor. I wonder what the true story is.
Typical Daily Fail to put the pronoun abuse in the headline and bury the ‘intimidating, bullying and possibly discriminatory’ behaviour deep down in the story.
I am in no position to judge. I simply hope that the tribunal will see that justice is served.
Boy, I’m glad your generation of degenerate Woke Crybabies didn’t study with Boris Kushmir, Dmitri Bashkirov and Isabelle Vengerova!….
And you are going to pay our pensions in the near future??!…
Refused to use the pronouns? Oh boy, there is hope!!
I thought you meant the conductor on the right 😉
Seems like the woke thought police (in cahoots with their brethren in Iran?) will get you for discipining your child (e.g., grounding) next!
I’m trying to figure out whether a prof insisting an uncooperative, entitled, self-righteous student comply with the published rules and expectations of the class is “bullying!” Seems that if you disagree with a decision made by someone else you simply denounce the decision-maker. And in true obedient fascist form, the person disappears, carried off by the invisible Great Leader’s eager army of aiders, abetters and enablers.
I’d hate for all these snowflakes to have to survive the true and real duress of life, say, inside today’s Ukraine, or post-coup Niger.
Sadly, in this world of manufactured hyperbolic outrage and the ensuing frightened and insecure PC over-response to it, REAL issues, offences and problems get lost in the noise.
WOW! Another “electrifying conductor” rendered POWERLESS (at least temporarily!). Which pronoun did or didn’t he use? These days you got to be extra careful — you can be FIRED for “bad grammar”!!! How wokey can you get??? Age discrimination? Mark looks significantly more youthful than old Sir Johnny! Good luck, Mark, and, in the meantime, watch those I/me/you/you/he/him/she/her/
they/them/we/us/it’s!!!
Le plume de mon Tante….. When speaking French one also needs to remember to correctly gender thousands of inanimate nouns. No self respecting Parisian will ever give directions to the American tourist who inquires Ou est La champs elysees (por favor)?
Having been manhandled and sworn at by Mr. Shanahan over a period of time whilst at the studio, I was glad to see something done after many complaints were ignored under previous management, though this seems to have been handled fairly incompetently.
Yes, as many commenters point out, some are even worse and this behaviour is common in classical music. The idea that it should continue to be so is, however, bizarre. The feeling that it is necessary for unpleasant and emotionally incontinent behaviour in senior musicians is, at best, old fashioned.
Obviously, people seem different to different people at different times and in different situations. I have also played in amateur music scenarios under his direction, though, unlike Sian only rarely. The last time (2019) he made a point of speaking to me with committed enthusiasm about how I had played, and my approach to the music. He absolutely had no need to do that, and no definable benefit in doing so. He had no reason to think he would ever deal with me again. Yet he was as nice as he could be.
Perhaps he can be both sides of that coin, but it really is sad to hear that this has occurred when my own (admittedly limited) experience was so positive.
Sorry to come late to this. I am a mature quite decent amateur violinist. I have played with many conductors of all abilities,including some so-called stars. I need to comment that technically and emotionally Mark is well up there. I have seen him “close to the edge” on or twice but never actually snap. On one occasion he was being bit “demanding” of our section – then came over later and apologised.