{"id":115048,"date":"2024-08-26T17:00:45","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T15:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=115048"},"modified":"2024-08-23T07:50:20","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T05:50:20","slug":"18-00-93","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=115048","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Announces Policy Review After Criticized for Canceling Concert of Anti-Israel Pianist"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Announces Policy Review After Criticized for Canceling Concert of Anti-Israel Pianist<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n

Shiryn Ghermezian<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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The skyline of Melbourne, Australia, the capital of Victoria. Photo: Alex Proimos\/Wikimedia Commons.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) said<\/a> on Friday that its board will conduct an \u201cindependent external review into our policies, procedures, and processes\u201d in light of its decision this week to cancel a performance by Australian-British pianist Jayson Gillham after he made ardently anti-Israel comments about the ongoing war in Gaza.<\/span><\/p>\n

MSO said the review will also \u201ccanvass the events\u201d leading up to its decision to call off Gillham\u2019s concert that was scheduled for this Thursday. More information about the review will be revealed when details are finalized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe board determined a formal review would provide transparency and certainty for our people \u2014 including our musicians, management, and employees \u2014 and our broader community of audience members, supporters, and other stakeholders,\u201d the MSO said. \u201cThe review will help ensure our policies and processes reflect best practice in the contemporary environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The MSO added that it is \u201cdetermined to ensure we have the protocols in place that are fit for purpose for our organization and the role we play within the community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The formal review was announced after musicians of the MSO passed on Thursday night a vote of no confidence in Managing Director Sophie Galaise and Chief Operating Officer Guy Ross because of how they handled the situation with Gillham.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe no longer have faith in the abilities of our senior management to make decisions that are in the best interests of the company at large,\u201d the orchestra\u2019s musicians said in a letter<\/a> to the board. \u201cWe believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO\u2019s values and behaviors; however, it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the orchestra and staff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The musicians called for Ross and Galaise\u2019s resignations. They also asked for an \u201cimpartial investigation into both the events of the cancellation of Jayson Gillham this week, and further into the general standards of leadership that have led to the ongoing issues with communication, morale, and psychosocial hazards affecting our workforce.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gillham, who is described on the MSO website<\/a> as \u201cone of the finest pianists of his generation,\u201d performed the world premiere of a five-minute piece called \u201cWitness\u201d at his recital on Sunday at Iwaki Auditorium in Southbank, where he also performed a number of other works by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin. The piece was written by Australian composer Connor D\u2019Netto and dedicated to Palestinian journalists. The MSO said it was a last-minute addition to the show.<\/span><\/p>\n

When introducing the piece to the audience, Gillham claimed, \u201cIsrael had killed more than 100 Palestinian journalists\u201d in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. \u201cThe killing of journalists is a war crime in international law, and it is done in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world,\u201d Gillham also claimed before playing \u201cWitness.\u201d He additionally accused Israel of \u201ctargeted assassinations of prominent journalists\u201d who were traveling in marked press vehicles or wearing press jackets.<\/span><\/p>\n

On social media, the pianist has accused<\/a> Israel of occupation, genocide, ethnic cleansing, colonialism, and apartheid. He has promoted the slogan \u201cFree Palestine\u201d and wrote in an Instagram post uploaded on April 2: \u201cEvery day is a day closer to the end of the Z!%nist regime in Pa\/est|ne and the Z!%nist stranglehold on Western nations.\u201d He criticized<\/a> Western countries for supporting Israel and compared the \u201cgenocide\u201d of Palestinians in Gaza to the Holocaust. On Instagram, he has a \u201chighlight\u201d dedicated to the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, which he encourages others to follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

On X\/Twitter, Gillham reposted a message in which Zionists are compared to Nazis and a separate post that said Israel\u2019s goals in Gaza are \u201ccivilian deaths and destruction.\u201d Gillham said the latter claim \u201cseems obvious but worth repeating.\u201d He also reposted a message about US President Joe Biden and his vice president, 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, that called them \u201cGenocide Joe and Kamala Harris\u201d for \u201cusing the \u2018we need a ceasefire now to release the hostages!\u2019 line for 6 months to launder the ongoing Gaza genocide and rape of Palestinians by the Israelis they vow to forever arm and fund.\u201d Gillham has also made<\/a> accusations about Australia\u2019s \u201ccomplicity in genocide\u201d for supporting Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Screenshot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Photo: Screenshot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Photo: Screenshot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Photo: Screenshot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The pianist was set to perform again at the Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday with the MSO, but the latter canceled his appearance in the recital because of his comments about Israel. The entire concert has since been cancelled due to safety concerns, according to the MSO. The orchestra said it is trying to reschedule the performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, MSO admitted it made an \u201cerror\u201d in canceling the performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra maintains that a concert platform is not an appropriate stage for political comment, we acknowledge Jayson\u2019s concerns for those in the Middle East and elsewhere,\u201d a MSO spokesperson told<\/a> the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). \u201cWe recognize the strength of feelings of all parties on this matter and particularly acknowledge the dedication and commitment demonstrated by all our musicians and staff this week.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gillham accepted the MSO\u2019s apology. He said in a statement to the ABC, \u201cI hold my relationship with the MSO, its players, and audience with the highest regard and look forward to our continued working relationship in years to come.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When MSO canceled Gillham\u2019s appearance in Thursday\u2019s recital, it sent an email<\/a> to ticketholders explaining their position on the matter and apologizing for Gillham\u2019s remarks. The MSO said his comments were \u201cmade completely without authority.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018<\/em>Witness\u2019 was accepted for performance at the request of Mr Gillham on the basis that it was a short meditative piece,\u201d the MSO explained. \u201cMr Gillham made his personal remarks without seeking the MSO\u2019s approval or sanction. They were an intrusion of personal political views on what should have been a morning focused on a program of works for solo piano.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe MSO does not condone the use of our stage as a platform for expressing personal views,\u201d it added. \u201cThe MSO understands that his remarks have caused offense and distress and offers a sincere apology \u2026 In standing for humanity and peace we seek for every one of our performances to be a welcome and safe place for all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A quick glance at the donors listed<\/a> on the MSO website shows that the orchestra has a large number of Jewish patrons and supporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Announces Policy Review After Criticized for Canceling Concert of Anti-Israel Pianist Shiryn Ghermezian The skyline of Melbourne, Australia, the capital of Victoria. Photo: Alex Proimos\/Wikimedia Commons. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) said on Friday that its board will conduct an \u201cindependent external review into our policies, procedures, and processes\u201d in light of its decision […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115048"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115048"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115126,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115048\/revisions\/115126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}