The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra cancelled pianist Jayson Gilliam's show tonight after his comments on Gaza journalists. Faced with criticism, the organization has attempted to backtrack by saying an "error was made."
ADVERTISEMENTAustralian-British pianist Jayson Gillham was supposed to be on stage tonight.
However, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) sanctioned him for dedicating a performance to the Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza - a move which led the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) to express concerns over freedom of speech.
Following its controversial decision to cancel future performances by Gillham, the MSO is now seeking to dodge the controversy it created by backtracking and admitting it made a mistake.
“The MSO acknowledges that an error was made in asking Jayson Gillham to step back from his performance on Thursday 15 August,” it said in a new statement shared to Variety.
At a concert last weekend, Gillham, 37, performed a range of works, from Beethoven to Chopin. He also played 'Witness', written by Australian composer Connor D'Netto, which the MSO said was a last-minute addition.
The piece was dedicated to “Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza.”
"Over the last 10 months, Israel has killed more than 100 Palestinian journalists," Gillham said before starting the piece. “A number of these have been targeted assassinations of prominent journalists" who were travelling in marked press vehicles or wearing press jackets, he claimed.
"The 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," he added.
The Australian orchestra responded by cancelling Gillham's upcoming performance and issued a statement, saying: ““The MSO does not condone the use of our stage as a platform for expressing personal views. Mr Gillham will not be performing in the advertised concert with the MSO this Thursday night at Melbourne Town Hall.”
The cancellation was criticized by many, including the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the union representing musicians. They expressed being “disturbed” by the MSO’s decision to sanction Gillham for his comments.
“Musical and artistic expression have long been a vehicle for political commentary and a lens through which we examine the world, and MEAA is concerned that freedom of expression is being compromised across the creative workforce,” an MEAA spokesperson said.
“MEAA members stand in solidarity with Jayson Gillham and with journalists working in Palestine.”
In a statement emailed to Variety, MSO management said: “The MSO yesterday sought independent security advice considering events that have occurred since last Sunday’s concert with Jayson Gillham. In light of this advice, the MSO Board and management had no option but to cancel the concert. We apologize to those who were planning to attend. The MSO acknowledges that an error was made in asking Jayson Gillham to step back from his performance on Thursday 15 August. We have been engaging constructively with Jayson and his management and are seeking to reschedule the concert.”
The statement 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 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.”
The show tonight remains cancelled due to “safety concerns.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent organisation advocating for press freedom, has reported that more than 100 journalists have been killed since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces have said that while they do not intentionally target journalists, they cannot ensure their safety in Gaza.
