Now worst-run orchestra sacks composer in residence
mainJust when you thought things could not get worse at the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, they just did.
We read today that the orchestra’s president Florence Notter has dismissed Richard Dubugnon as composer in residence, giving no reason. Various projects with him have been cancelled.
Dubugnon, who once played in the orchestra’s double-bass section, went public this morning and is going to court for damages.
Everywhere outside Geneva, the OSR is a byword for bad management.
Dubugnon is one of the great talents and hopes for a renewal of contemporary music in Europe…. it looks as if he can delete the OSR from the list. There should be other orchestras picking-up the pieces (in both meanings), and make sure his family does not suffer from Swiss complications.
You mean the running of the OSR is worse than the that of the Malaysian Philharmonic??
Very upset to hear about Richard Dubugnon! For several years in his younger days he was an inspirational composition teacher in my department at the Purcell School, where we all loved and admired his music enormously! Fantastic bass player too….if only we could afford to have him as our Composer-in-Residence….dream on, Alison!
Thank you Alison, John, that’s very kind. Luckily, I am receiving a lot of support from many musicians and people who are deeply shocked by the treatment I received from one of my homeland orchestras. Actually, I have been sacked by a French lady and an English conductor ! On the bright side, the prestigious Musikkollegium Winterthur offers me
a wonderful composer-in-residence* in 2016-17, so all the Swiss aren’t bad !
* check their season https://issuu.com/musikkollegium/docs/saisonprogramm_2016_17?e=8854117/34721293