Suffering? London players deny walkout

We have been contacted by several players in the London Chamber Orchestra, insisting that they saw no-one walking out of Wednesday’s rehearsal (as reported today in the Observer).

Here’s one account from a player well known to us:

It is clearly mis-reporting. There was a one-day rehearsal the day before (on Tuesday) at the Warehouse as well as the rehearsal on the Wednesday afternoon before the concert at Cadogan Hall. At the start of the rehearsal on Tuesday morning some members of the Board came in to the rehearsal to offer apologies for the previous delay in payment, and to offer the opportunity to answer questions.

They had paid everybody’s backpay by 9pm the previous night. Just a couple of people said that hadn’t received it, and the members of the Board said it would be sorted straight away. There were a few questions and comments from orchestral players. But certainly no musicians walked out then, or at the Wednesday rehearsal (the next day) as was reported. In truth, it was a gorgeous concert – one of the special ones. Interesting repertoire, Chris, the soloist Ben (Goldscheider), and the orchestra were on fine form.

pictured: Ben Goldscheider (Black shiny shoes) having played the premier of the horn concerto written by Gavin Higgins (hugging Ben).