Melbourne Symphony calls in external investigator
OrchestrasMessage from the board in response to the musicians’ rebellion against the management over the Israel-Palestine war:
MSO Statement, 16 August.
The Board of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will conduct an independent external review into our policies, procedures and processes following this week’s decision to cancel the concert of Jayson Gillham.
The review will also canvass the events leading up to the decision to cancel the concert scheduled for 15 August 2024.
The Board determined a formal review would provide transparency and certainty for our people – including our musicians, management and employees – and our broader community of audience members, supporters and other stakeholders. The review will help ensure our policies and processes reflect best practice in the contemporary environment.
Noting the letter to the Board from MSO musicians, the Board will provide more information on the review, including the terms of reference, as the details are finalised.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is determined to ensure we have the protocols in place that are fit for purpose for our organisation and the role we play within the community.
Really? Not a single set of balls in residence at that orchestra. Their Jewish donors should pull their support immediately. How hard is it to stand up for and be firm about what you believe (whatever that is)?
Who says these “Jewish donors” are supporters of Israel’s actions in Gaza? Is it impossible to be Jewish and oppose Israel’s actions?
Sooo…. the board are not actually responding to the Musicians vote of no confidence or investigating the leadership issues. Just the policies around soloists making speeches.
Very well said. Musicians are not happy at all with how orchestra is managed. Not a single word about that.
Apologies! It’s 5am here in OZ and I missed the AFR article on the MSO musicians vote of no confidence. I keep reading about unhappy musicians in the UK & USA. Now it seems we have joined the growing list.
Congratulations Mr Gillham, you’ve successfully martyred the MSO for your cause. Let’s see if the publicity will generate more platforms for your lacklustre music mashing.
Horowitz, it’s not Gillham’s cause. It’s a cause the majority of the humanity supports, bar a small minority of people who support genocide for their own gains. Moreover, it’s not the musicians, it’s the leadership of the MSO that should change (resign). They are the ones who brought the scandal into MSO.
Me thinks the MSO martyred itself. The issue is not Gillham’s words, it’s the MSO’s absurd decision to cancel him for it.
Besides, do please enlighten us how Jayson Gillham caused the “years of unresolved concerns, ongoing mismanagement, and a consistent decline in workplace culture that has undermined the well-being of employees and the long-term success of the company” the musicians’ letter refers to.
The symphony did the right thing and canceled the concert. Musicians who want to remain relevant in the music community need to stay away from controversial politics. In this case, Jewish donors keep the symhpony afloat. Now becauyse of a few emails and social media rants, likely from people who do not attend their concerts, they are flopping on a deck like a fish.
Since the October 7 massacre, 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children. 113 journalists have been killed which is what the pianist addressed. What responsibility do artists have to address these issues, and how much leeway should they be given in classical music concerts? The MSO had run into trouble for the statement by the pianist, and even more trouble for censoring him. Views break down along partisan lines. Few address the issue objectively.
“What responsibility do artists have to address these issues, and how much leeway should they be given in classical music concerts?” Zero and Zero!
What part of ‘culmination of years of unresolved concerns, ongoing mismanagement, and a consistent decline in workplace culture that has undermined the well-being of employees and the long-term success of the company’ means the musicians are rebelling ‘over the Israel-Palestine war’ ? Management behaviour sparking negative international coverage seems to have been the last straw of many.
Don’t knock it. The Aussies have learned a lesson from us Pommies: the best way to kick any trouble into the long grass is to announce an independent enquiry. We are the past masters. Take, for example, Hillsborough, the infected blood scandal, the Post Office scandal and Grenfell Towers. These have been rumbling on for years and even decades, but nobody has been brought to book for criminal negligence or malfeasance of any kind. The effect of protracted official enquiries removes these matters from the public gaze for long enough to make them recede into history. Another benefit is that the more time they take, the more victims pass away and the less will have to be paid out when, if at all, the need to pay compensation arises.
There used to be a code of honour in this country: anyone in authority whose behaviour causes a scandal resigns. Furthermore, anyone in authority takes responsibility for those whom he placed in positions of trust. With that in mind, the board of the MSO have embarrassed themselves by being incapable of asserting any authority, regardless of what position they took on this pianist. No independent review can exonerate them from this charge. But failing to have the honour to resign en masse (after overseeing the appointment of a new board) is inexcusable.
Cette histoire est lamentable.Ni le pianiste,ni l’administration de l’orchestre n’en sortent grandis.
You’ve got got to wonder what’s behind their reversal…change of heart…threats of violence?
Antisemitic comments as well as any type of support for terrorist groups should be forbidden and the concert should be cancelled to teach the pianist that he should do what he was paid for and what is under his domain of excellence, not political views in a concert should be allowed.
According to captured Hamas papers, they intended to dig out bodies of British WW2 soldiers – mostly ANZAC – and trade them as hostages.
I wonder how the MSO would have reacted…
I very much dislike it when an artist, or administrator/promotor/whomever, speaks from the stage, other than to announce an encore. It is an unwelcome intrusion upon a captive, paying audience.
With respect to the Gillham/MSO debacle, I offer these observations:
Calling to bear witness to the deaths of Palestinian journalists in Gaza does not constitute extreme left wing, anti-zionist propaganda. That NL reported it as so, is irresponsible, and appears to have harmed both Gillham and the MSO (whose inept management has handled this situation appallingly).
Criticism of Israel is not antisemitic.
Witnessing the plight of Palestinians is not pro-Hamas.
Confusing, obscuring and conflating these points is damaging, manipulative and irresponsible.
Management did the right thing. Disguised antisemitism should not be tolerated, but that is too much to ask. Where is the outrage for atrocities around the rest of the world? Why is no one asking for the return of hostages?
“Why is no one asking for the return of hostages?
Can you elaborate on this? The newspapers I read, the information I compile on different media writes:talks /comments daily on this war and the hostages.