Student orchestra rebels against ‘intimidating’ director

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is in turmoil over a student protest that is rather closer to home than the Middle East.

The target is Carolyn Watson, an Australian who is director of orchestras on campus and music director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra.

Here’s what the kids are saying on Reddit:

Our director of orchestras, Dr. Carolyn Watson, was hired on two years ago and immediately given tenure. Since then, her students and TAs have experienced abuse, intimidation, and retaliation at her hand. For over a year, multiple students have tried to go through university channels to correct this abusive behavior, including Title IX, HR, OAE (Office of Access and Equity), and two School of Music Directors.

After a year, these patterns of behavior have only continued, forcing the student body to take action and demand change. We started a petition for her removal, and got over 500 signatures in one week, including 83% of enrolled orchestra members!

Here’s the petition.

Watson is conducting the academy orchestra this week at Monash University in Melbourne, altogether a quieter place.