MSO musicians pass vote of no confidence in senior management

Musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra have passed a vote of no confidence in their senior management after the cancellation of a performance by Jayson Gillham following comments made by the Australian pianist about the killing of journalists in Gaza.

The pianist’s comments were part of the introduction to the premiere performance of Witness, a solo work written for Gillham by Australian composer Connor D’Netto and ‘dedicated to the journalists of Gaza’. According to a transcript of Gillham’s comments ahead of the Witness premiere at Melbourne’s Iwaki Auditorium on 11 August seen by The Guardian, the pianist described the killing of journalists as a ‘war crime in international law’ and said: ‘Over the last 10 months, Israel has killed more than one hundred Palestinian journalists.’ Paris-based non-profit Reporters sans Frontières reported in March that 103 journalists had been killed in five months of war in Gaza, while the Committee to Protect Journalists report, updated today, counts a total of at least 115 journalists and media workers killed since the war began.

In a letter sent by MSO members to the board and seen by Guardian Australia, the musicians call for a ‘full and impartial investigation’ into the orchestra’s cancellation of Gillham’s performance and ‘general standards of leadership’ at the MSO, adding that: ‘The members of the orchestra in no way take this decision lightly, but believe that this decision is vital for the ongoing viability of the company given the degree to which the MSO’s reputation has been called into disrepute… We believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO’s values and behaviours, however it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the orchestra and staff.’

The MSO policies which led to the orchestra’s cancellation of Gillham’s concert will now be subject to an ‘independent external review’. In a statement published on the orchestra’s website, the MSO said ‘independent security advice’ left it ‘no option but to cancel the concert’, but admitted that ‘an error was made in asking Jayson to step back from his performance’.

It added: ‘While the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra maintains that a concert platform is not an appropriate stage for political comment, we acknowledge Jayson’s concerns for those in the Middle East and elsewhere. We recognise 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.’

Michael Balk, federal president of Australia’s union for creative professionals, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, called the decision to cancel the performance ‘inappropriate’, and said: ‘The explanation from MSO’s management on disallowing political comments on its stages is an over-reach. Our artists have voices and this decision amounts to censorship, fuelling anger already felt by musicians. Music and art exist in a political and social context. Diversity and inclusion are not achieved by the silencing of artists. Creative workers should not have to restrict expressing opinions through their lifelong work for fear of jeopardising their careers.’