Exclusive :Top musicians urge Concertgebouw to readmit Israeli quartet
NewsAlmost a hundred musicians have rallied overnight to petition the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to reverse its ban on two concerts this week by the Jerusalem Quartet. The concerts were called off ‘to gurantee the safety of employees, visitors and musicians.’
Outraged musicians have acccused the Dutch administrators of capitulating to mob rule.
We present the petition below with the initial rush of signatories. They include some well-known artists. If you support their appeal, do share this post on social media and add your name in the comments slot.
Watch for updates during the course of today.
15 May 2024
We, the undersigned, as musicians and presenters who celebrate mutual respect across different disciplines and specialisations, who regularly collaborate and who draw inspiration from one another, are appalled at the recent announcement of the Concertgebouw to cancel the May 16th and 18th performances by the Jerusalem Quartet.
Threats to the safety of musicians, concert hall staff, and the general public, fly in the face of hard-won democratic values and freedom of expression, and should have no place in our society. The behaviour of our arts organisations should reflect this, and should stand up for these values.
By cancelling these concerts, the management of the Concertgebouw placates a vocal minority who advocate for their cause through intimidation and credible threats of disorder and violence. We need not look very far back into European history to see what happens when people acquiesce to the very behaviours that sow their own downfall.
Anything less than permitting the Jerusalem Quartet to continue with its planned performances — and to provide them and the audience of the Concertgebouw with protection and support — amounts to pure moral cowardice.
We call upon the management of the Concertgebouw to show strength of character in defending the concert platform as a realm for free expression of the sublime yearnings of the human spirit otherwise failed by words and actions that all too often lapse into meaningless, pseudo-moral binaries. The Concertgebouw’s behaviour succumbs to an “education at the college of fools” rather than continuing to affirm itself as a bastion of the ineffable.
We wholeheartedly protest this act and as musicians call for an immediate redress.
Yours Sincerely,
1 Mahan Esfahani, harpsichordist
2 Danny Driver, pianist
3 Joshua Weilerstein, conductor
4 Nicholas Daniel, oboist
5 Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, violinist
6 Craig Rutenberg, voice coach and accompanist
7 Hana Arie-Gaifman, Director Emerita Taschner Center 92nd St Y
8 Philip Clark, musician, writer, journalist
9 Michael Fine, Grammy Award-winning producer
10 Alisa Weilerstein, cellist
11 Jan David Schmitz, Head of Programme at the Brucknerhaus Linz
12 Andrew Litton, conductor
13 Ben Goldscheider, horn player
14 Anahita Abbasi, composer
15 Katya Apekisheva, pianist
16 Gemma Rosefield, cellist
17 Amy Dickson saxophonist
18 Lucy Parham, pianist
19 Itzhak Rashkovsky, violinist
20 Shiry Rashkovsky, violist
21 Walter Reiter, violinist
22 Roman Mints, violinist
23 Lars Anders Tomter, violist
24 Ulrich Gerhartz, Director of Concerts & Artist Services Steinway UK
25 Taras Voloschuk, double bass player
26 Diana Ketler, pianist, director Sonoro Festival
27 Boris Brovtsyn, violinist
28 Stephen Waarts, violinist
29 Tom Hancox, flautist
30 Andrew Zolinsky, pianist
31 Benjamin Navarro, violinist
32 Alexander Sitkovetsky, violinist
33 Shlomy Dobrinsky, violinist
34 Edna Landau, arts consultant
35 Jack Liebeck, violinist
36 Maria Schellenberg, mezzo-soprano
37 David Benedict, critic
38 Krzysztof Chorzelski, violist
39 Anahit Kurtikyan, violinist
40 Yuri Zhislin, violinist
41 Alexandra Raikhlina, violinist
42 Natalie Clein, cellist
43 David Cohen, cellist
44 Charles Owen, pianist
45 Kathryn Stott, pianist
46 Guy Ben-Ziony, violist
47 Patrick Savage, violinist and composer
48 Simon Blendis, violinist
49 Martin Owen, horn player
50 Margaret Fingerhut, pianist
51 Oleg Kogan, cellist
52 Arcadia Quartet
53 Rasvan Dumitru, violinist
54 Timothy Ridout, violist
55 Charlotte Scott, cellist
56 Claude Frochaux, cellist
57 Robert Rinder, barrister
58 Louisa Clein, actor
59 Thomas Carroll, cellist
60 Kristina Blaumane, cellist
61 Sacha Rattle, clarinettist
62 Julius Drake, pianist
63 Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violinist
64 Elizabeth Burley, pianist
65 Simone van der Giessen, violist
66 Polina Kogan, pianist
67 James Francis Brown, composer
68 Fiona Sinclair, CEO, Leeds Piano Competition
69 Philip Dukes, violist
70 Guy Johnson, cellist
71 Piers Lane, pianist
72 Marianna Shirinyan, pianist
73 Anthony Hewitt, pianist
74 Robert Max, cellist
75 David Aspin, violist
76 Dene Olding AM, violinist
77 Ryan Bancroft, conductor
78 Gavin Bryars, composer
79 Paul McCreesh, conductor
80 Arianna Zukermann, soprano
81 Rebecca Miller, conductor
82 Bartholomew LaFollette, cellist
83 Yuri Torchinsky, violinist
84 Alexander Kobrin, pianist
85 Tim Posner, cellist
86 Priya Mitchell, violinist
87 Dirk Mommertz, pianist
88 Reinis Zarins, pianist
89 Brian O’Kane, cellist
90 Boris Adrianov, cellist
91 Norman Lebrecht, writer
92 Boris Petrushansky, pianist
93 Cedric Pescia, pianist
94 Gaby Lester, violinist
94 Yishai Steckler, conductor
95 José Gallardo, pianist
96 Polina Leschenko, pianist
97 Isang Enders, cellist
98 Julia Dausacker, violinist
99 Marc Coppey, violinist
100 Kolja Blacher, violinist
101 Francis Gouton
102 Guy Eshed, flautist
103 Schloss Elmau
104 Enrico Dindo, celiist
105 Hila Baggio, soprano
106 Thomas Gerbeth
107 Benjamin Yusupov, composer
108 Simone Gramaglia
109 Aylen Pritchin
110 Arin Maisky
111 Michaël Gutman, Pietrasanta in Concerto
112 Mary Jo Capps AM, Musica Viva
113 Ursula Dehne
114 Pierre Génisson
115 Miguel da Silva
116 Evgeny Kissin, pianist
117 Boris Garlitsky, violinist
118 Philippe Quint, violinist
119 Noah Bendix-Balgley
120 Jan-Erik Gustafsson, Korsholm Music Festival
121 Mariam Rüetschi, violist
122 Dudu Carmel, oboist
123 Pablo Barragán
124 Ioan-Dragos Dimitriu
125 Yaniv Elijah d’Or
126 Roman Spitzer
127 Felix Nemirovsky, Israel Philharmonic
128 Daniel Kuehnel
129 Karin Lechner
130 Yevheniya Lyoshor
131 Nicolas Dautricourt
132 Terje Mikkelsen
133 Alban Gerhardt
134 Stephanie Gonley
135 Leontina Margulis
136 Natalia Margulis
137 Jura Margulis
138 Claudio Bohórquez, cellist
139 Leonid Kerbel, Musica Mundi School
140 Hagit Hassid-Kerbel, Musica Mundi School
141 Corina Belcea, violinist
142 Hrachya Avanesyan
143 Arsen Gulua
144 Osvaldo Ferreira, Portuguese Philharmonic Orchestra
145 Per Nyström, cellist
146 Erica Worth, Editor, Pianist Magazine
147 Dmitri Dichtiar
148 Raz Binyamini
149 Liza Ferschtman, violinist
150 Ivan Karizna
151 Daniel Cohen
152 Asya Gulua, pianist
153 Uri Dror, Jerusalem Music Centre
154 Kirill Gerstein, pianist
155 Giovanni Guzzo, violinist
156 Andrei Gridchuk
157 Alena Baeva, violinist
158 Pavel Berman
159 Maria Wloszczowska, violinist
160 Lucia d’Anna
161 Adrian Brendel, cellist
162 Hannah Roberts, cellist
163 Jonathan Aner
164 Nimrod Guez
165 Maria Meerovitch
166 Julian Arp
167 Arnon Erez, pianist
168 Pavel Berman
169 Avi Avital, mandolin
170 Bertrand Chamayou, pianist
171 Konstanza Hörtnagel
172 Brett Dean, violist/composer
173 Deborah Jay
174 Ariel Halevi
175 Marija Pavlovic
176 Jennie Engström
177 Reiko Hozu
178 Eyal Hofmekler
179 Abel Gomes
180 Julia Kogan
181 Shirly Laub, violinist
182 Ruth Rogers, violinist
183 Rolf Hind, pianist/composer
184 David Grimal, violinist/conductor
185 Ruth Fisher, broadcaster
186 Nana Jashvili, violinist
187 Gia Jashvili, violinist
188 Jamie Walton, cellist
189 Leonid Gorokhov, cellist
190 Neil Roxburgh, pianist
191 Pablo Hernán Benedí, violinist
192 Mathieu Herzog, conductor
193 Sergei Babayan, pianist
194 Ilya Grubert
195 Karin Lechner
196 Bob Riley, CEO Manchester Camerata
197 Nino Gvetadze, pianist
198 Horácio Ferreira
199 Diana Ketler, pianist
200 Maja Bogdanovic, cellist
201 Janne Thomason
202 Eran Haras
203 Polina Yehudi, violinist
204 Yevgeny Yehudin, clarinet
205 Ofer Falk
206 Diego Jiménez Alonso
207 Avishai Darash
208 Roberto Prosseda, pianist
209 Alessandra Ammara, pianist
210 Martha Argerich, pianist
211 Mary Kaptein, Artist Manager
212 Vadym Kholodenko, pianist
213 Alexander Kagan, violinist
214 Sergio Tiempo, pianist
215 Sergei Nakariakov, trumpeter
216 Misha Maisky, cellist
217 Daria van den Bercken, pianist
218 Evgeny Kissin
219 David Pickett, conductor
220 Gabriela Montero, pianist
221 Shirley Brill
222 Amina Kublanova violinist
223 Derck Littel, Concertgebouworkest cellist
224 Mathieu Herzog, conductor
225 Sergei Babayan, pianist
226 Ilya Grubert
227 Karin Lechner
228 Bob Riley, CEO Manchester Camerata
229 Nino Gvetadze, pianist
230 Horácio Ferreira
231 Diana Ketler, pianist
232 Maja Bogdanovic, cellist
233 Janne Thomason
234 Eran Haras
235 Polina Yehudi, violinist
236 Yevgeny Yehudin, clarinet
237 Ofer Falk
238 Diego Jiménez Alonso
239 Avishai Darash
240 Roberto Prosseda, pianist
241 Alessandra Ammara, pianist
242 Martha Argerich, pianist
243 Mary Kaptein, Artist Manager
244 Fabio Luisi, conductor
245 Yuliya Gorenman, pianist
246 Nadia Weintraub, Concert Pianist
247 Eleonore Pameijer, flutist, artistic director Leo Smit Foundation
248 Vladimir Fanshil, conductor
249 Kees Vlaardingerbroek, musicologist and artistic adviser
250 Ilan Levin, Pianist
251 Kristina Reiko Cooper, cellist
252 Elizabeth Nielsen, violin
253 John Borstlap, composer
254 Martin Cousin – pianist
255 Penelope Blackie, pianist
256 Dingeman van Daal, lawyer
257 Ludwig Hartmann, Vorsitzender, Hamburg
258 Carla Zoethout
Clarinetist
Just to remind all that the Israel PO is no longer invited to the Proms in London because of the riots during their concert in 2012…. so threats work!
2011
I didn’t know this. Shameful – I was there, just before I made Aliyah. I’m 79 now.
Kristina Reiko Cooper, cellist
Ilan Levin, Pianist
Disgusting and weak Concertgebouw management.
Wat een geweldig geluid!
This is outrageous and may cause harm to the Early Music performances worldwide! Most of us studied in Europe – in fact I studied at KC in Den Haag. Music should be a neutral area since we all work together and dedicate our lives to the same language and aesthetic. I call you please to re-consider this decision. Traverso player from IL
Kees Vlaardingerbroek, musicologist and artistic adviser
Why the logo of the Concertgebouw orchestra? Thats an different organization all together.
Vladimir Fanshil, conductor
I hope they change their decision. It is a shame to surrounding to dark forces. Especially artists and musicians.
If you don’t sign, you won’t be invited to my chamber music festival.
The concertgebouw (concert hall) is independent an of the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The logo of the orchestra is a wrong illustration of the article. A music blogger should know better
Concertgebow Orchestra is linked on many ways to Concertgebow. I am really surprised that the members of the Orchestra didn’t react to this apartheid action of the administration. Unacceptable!
Very good point.
Music should should always be out of the political debate
That has its limitations, as German thirties show.
Please add my name to the petition: Greta Beigel, music journalist.
I’m unrelated to this concert, but I totally agree with the content of this petition and would have signed it myself, if it were possible. Let the organizers remember that the world is the sum of our individual choices and behaviors. Now and then, one gets the power of a symbolic decision. This time, will violence win and freedom(s) lose?
Just to repeat, please go to the change link here https://chng.it/wGtHty7xmh and sign your name, even if you have already done so above.
That website does not work well.
Ik herinner me precies wat er gebeurde nadat de nazi’s aan de macht kwamen – zodra ze zich begonnen te onderwerpen aan terreur en discriminatie van joden – is de weg naar het vermoorden van joden in Nederland niet lang.
There is no room for a shameful surrender to terrorism and woke radicals. Re-invite them now!
This petition is so right. It is a sad moment for the Dutch culture to surrender to violent groups and to cancel music events due to fear from demonstrations. If people can’t be safe in the Dutch cities where will they be safe?
Anti-Semitism helped destroy Germany. Do not let a combination of malign ignorance and sheer cowardice ruin the West’s reputation again.
I would like to add my name to the list of musicians protesting to the decision of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw to cancel the concerts of the Jerusalem Quartet. Eleonore Pameijer, concert flutist, founder and artistic director Leo Smit Foundation, director of the project forbiddenmusicregained
In is outrageous that violent people who try to intimidate through acts of violence will dictate our lives. We need to stand up against these threats and now bow down to their demand. Our civil rights should not be threatened by a mob supporting terrorism.
Cancelling a concert or any art for fear of disturbance is the fundamentally wrong signal, irresponsible and very dangerous.
Interestingly, from the 94 signatures on the list, only two are from Dutch people.
…dear John, in the mean time several other very sad Dutch melomanes entered the list…
Greetings Dingeman van Daal
This was some time ago. Meanwhile it is heartwarming to see the list swelling.
Again, the Concertgebouw is not the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest. One is a building, the other one an orchestra. Please change the picture of this article.
Dafna Ravid
I would like to add my name to the list.
Yuliya Gorenman, pianist
(Shared and signed)
Unbelievable shame on the Dutch
Unbelievable shame on the Dutch
Amina Kublanova violinist
Shirley Brill
I visit Amsterdam often but I’ll ban your convert hall until you cancel this disgrace and antisemitic act
I’m an architect as well and will never return to the building again! I’ll see the orchestra on tour.
Hey, if you’re going to be putting yourself out there as a representative of Israel in 2024 – and so much as naming yourself after one of its cities – you have to accept that there will be consequences. I don’t know the politics of these musicians but their home country has a divisive reputation these days.
Every ban in the name of politics , eventually serves the politicians to further ruin culture.
Fake Liberalism in its best.
“Consequences”?
You sound like a mobster as well as an apologist.
Yup. Adolf above.
Please add my name. Cancelling Jewish artists sets a dangerous precedent and empowers those who must not be empowered.
Gabriela Montero
Hi Gabriela, the protests have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the quartet members are Jewish, it is all to do with Israel’s mass killing of the population of Gaza.
I wish to be associated with this petition
David Pickett,
Conductor, Harpsichord player, Tonmeister
I don’t think banning musicians can ever be a good answer. I also give my signature to this petition.
The cancellation of these concerts is an outrageous discrimination we protest. where will this lead us to??? what’s next?
Nadia Weintraub, Concert Pianist
Elizabeth Nielsen, violin
Absolutely terrible! Reminds the 30th in Germany!
Sophia Agranovich, Pianist
I would like to add my name to the petition.
Shame on the Concertgebouw administration. It reminds us all of the dark days of Nazi rising in the 30’s before WW II.
Do not surrender to the mob led by extreme islamists. European countries have been losing their basics as cultural, liberal democratic nations.
Sanity! Thank you!!!
Islamist bootlickers, learn a lesson from the actual *person* who commented above. Actual *human beings* do not breathe one single word of apologism for the degeneracy of this theocratic fascism. Unreformed religion does not belong in this century, and, soon enough, as the world wakes up, the “progressive” enablers of conservative Islam are going to pay for the evil they’ve done.
Jan Schultsz, Conductor, Pianist
violinist
Carole Isseks Bailis
Please ad my name to the petition: John Borstlap, composer, author
Please add my name to your list.
Dingeman van Daal, lawyer and passionate (chamber) music lover
Zohar Schondorf, son of a Holocaust survivor – Horn
Alexander Boot
Penelope Blackie, pianist
Martin Cousin – pianist
Hopefully they will reverse this cowardly and ridiculous decision
Guest Conductor. Unpaid internet shill and occasional Zionist troll.
As opposed to gutless licker of the Islamist boot?
What an idiotic comment of anonymous who even hesitate to place his/her name
What narrow and stupid thinking in a great institution!
Artist – signed.
As the letter points out, cancellation of these concerts is a surrender to mob rule and sets a dangerous precedent. If the concert hall staff are worried about security then the answer is to request a police presence for the events. Free expression is the hallmark of a democracy. Do not be intimidated by the bullies.
Some people are listed twice. Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin.
And several more.
Andrej Bielow, violinist
Mooie actie. En het Concertgebouw moet hier heel snel op terugkomen.
Alexander Boot
Joshua Green (ToscaTeen), Journalist
Carla Zoethout
Milena Zlatarova, violist
I went to the concert of the Jerusalem Quartet at the Wigmore Hall last week. There was not a hint of a demonstration or any trouble.
Appalling
Its a shame…
Please add my name to the list.
Shame on the Concertgebouw. Such cowardice. Repeat of WWII anti-semitism.
Music lover.
Shira Kerner- vocalist
Zira Roozendaal, educator
Cherish artistic freedom
Simon Scott, violinist
Lee Ellen Hveem, arts administrator/producer
Emmanuella Reiter, violist
Composer and voice teacher
Chair of Voice Mason Gross School of the Arts, Bass baritone
Singer and pianist
Regina Chernychko, pianist
I would like to add my name. Ilanna S. Mandel, Writer/Artist
Antonio Celso Ribeiro – composer
Please would you add my name?
Cressida Sharp, soprano
Ben Legebeke, violinist
Pleas add my name to the list. I think this is a very important action in this difficult time.
So … whe Russia nobody spoke up but with Israel yes? It’s evident the music industry is full of Jews and Zionists. No different to Hollywood, media, banking and other industries. They have infiltrated power positions, l especially in the US, but soon people will feel and realize the consequences of their actions. To know who controls you, see who you are not allowed to criticize – Voltaire.
An open anti-Semite. I love it when these vermin speak the quiet part out loud.
Gutless Anon doesn’t even give a name, like the thugs covering their face. No different than the KKK.
Some day soon, we’ll realise that a world without anti-Semites would be a world made new. Goodbye far right, goodbye far left, goodbye Islamist vermin so deeply loved by both those axes of evil.
Naum Grubert, pianist
Polina Osetinskaya, pianist
Lena Khandros, Founder & Producer, Momentum Artists
Ronan Magill, pianist
Weren’t you advocating for programmer boycotts against Russian artists when their nation violently invaded an autonomous region claiming it was a hotbed of extremism
Your argument makes slightly less sense when Gaza is, in fact, a hotbed of extremism from which Israel had just been viciously attacked.
By all means, you may dvocate boycotting aartists from countries you think are being violent – as long as those means are non-violent. If you use the threat of violence to enforce your boycott wish, you become the problem.
This is a well-intentioned but highly-misguided effort that, in the long run,
will entrench the occupation, prolong the conflict, and needlessly cause countless more deaths. Here’s why.
To end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, which has been going on for almost 60 years,
the world needs to boycott every Israeli musician, artist, singer and conductor until this genocidal assault in Gaza ends, and Israel agrees to the Arab Peace Plan of 2008 of two independent states. Not because these musicians are personally responsible; in fact, most of them are liberal Zionists who agree to a 2-state solution. But because it’s the only non-violent action that will bring about the end of the occupation. I grew up in Israeli society, I know how much they crave world recognition and participation in world events. Once all of them are denied that privilege (there is no basic human right to be invited to Brussels or anywhere else) – it will trigger that internal reckoning, lead to a new Israeli government, and end the occupation.
(I’d be surprised if Norman let this through…)
This is a separate issue. Had the Concertgebouw made a principled argument to boycott Israeli musicians, your comment would have been in place, in support of such a position. However, the case here is not a principled boycott of Israeli musicians, but rather a thoroughly unprincipled surrender to a (perceived) violent threat. A violent threat, even if implied, is not a good example of non-violence, but that aside, the correct response to such threats is to stand up to them while taking the necessary precautions and dealing with those who threaten with violence to the full extent of the law. Our public sphere deserve to be free from threats, so that then we can debate the merits of boycotting Israeli, Moroccans or Chinese artists for their governments policies in Palestine, Western Sahara or Tibet.
Diana Hereld, vocalist
Music is part of civil society and human experience. The Jerusalem Quartet are wonderful players who should be welcomed by any city that values music and refuses the bullying tactics of noxious politics.
There has only been repeated and repeated speculation regarding Israeli Genocide, where is the proof! NONE. Just repeating whimsical thoughts
Sergey Khanukaev, conductor – wish to sign this letter of support of musicians
Albert Frantz, pianist
I support this petition.
I wholeheartedly wish to sign this letter in support of the musicians.
Christopher Barrett – Tuba Player
The Concertgebouw has disgraced itself
The right to demonstrate is wonderful and important, and there’s also something called police and security. Cancelling these concerts would be absolutely wrong and outrageous!
Ilan Levin, pianist
Jonny Byers, cellist
Please do add my name to this list!
Robert von Bahr, record producer, BIS Records, Sweden
Natasha Sher violinist
Israel must be included!
Please add my name to the list:
Brigit Scheiger, music lover
Shame. Please, put my name on the list. Judit Rajk, singer
Erik Rousi, bass
An unacceptable decision.
Zohar Lerner, violinist/ concertmaster WKO Heilbronn
(You can add my name to the list)
Ted Rosenthal, pianist, composer, educator.
Anastasia Voltchok, pianist
Agree 100%
Lutenist and guitarist
Cowards in the face of antisemitism.
Sound engineer
Giving into Hamas because of the large number of Muslims in Holland.
Alexander Lonquich
Shame on you organisers. What you are doing is Anti semitic. The Netherlands should learn from their past history. Anne Frank of course springs to mind. The Ten Boom family of Harlem spring to mind as helpers of the Jewish People. Stand up against Antisemitism Bill Ducker UK musician Nottingham UK
Thérèse Malengreau, pianist