The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in performance.
In Monday’s (8/26) The Age (Australia), Gemma Grant and Elizabeth Flux write, “Melbourne Symphony Orchestra managing director Sophie Galaise has departed effective immediately, while former federal arts minister Peter Garrett will review the organization following the controversial dropping of a pianist over his comments about Gaza. Galaise, who has been managing director of the MSO since April 2016, will be replaced [as strategic advisor] by Richard Wigley, a musician … Garrett, the frontman of rock band Midnight Oil, has been appointed by the orchestra to lead an independent review into the organization, supported by professional services firm KPMG Australia…. Galaise has been under fire since the MSO dropped acclaimed pianist Jayson Gillham from its line-up over comments he made earlier this month, in introducing a piece dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza. The organization later cancelled the entire concert and said the decision to remove Gillham was an ‘error.’ Gillham has since threatened legal action against the orchestra. Last week, the MSO’s musicians passed a vote of no confidence in senior management and wrote to the board expressing their anger over the decision to drop Gillham, calling for the resignation of Galaise and chief operating officer Guy Ross.”
