“Mirroring a recent action by the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music has suspended trombone department head Massimo La Rosa pending an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct,” writes Zachary Lewis in Tuesday’s (10/16) Plain Dealer. “CIM President Paul Hogle announced the decision in a letter to students, faculty, and staff on Monday. The Cleveland Orchestra, where La Rosa also serves as principal trombone, also is investigating the claims, and suspended La Rosa on the same grounds in September. ‘The Institute’s administration understands the weight of its responsibility to students, and is following the protections and requirements that Title IX affords to all parties,’ said Hogle in a written statement separate from the letter…. CIM offered no details of the allegations against La Rosa, a member of its faculty and Cleveland Orchestra since 2007, and La Rosa did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday…. CIM’s letter to faculty Monday included an invitation to submit information ‘helpful to this process.’ … The letter also named bass trombone professor Randall Hawes as a temporary replacement for La Rosa, describing the Detroit Symphony Orchestra member as a ‘consummate artist and pedagogue.’ ”
Posted October 18, 2018
