pianist Jason Gilham
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has found itself at the center of a scandal after canceling a concert by the famous British-Australian pianist Jason Gilham, who criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The cancellation, which took place on Thursday, was recognized as a mistake by the orchestra itself, according to AFP.
During his speech on Sunday, Gilham dedicated one of his compositions to “journalists from Gaza”, noting that some of them were victims of “targeted killings” by the Israeli military. In response, the orchestra promptly canceled his next concert scheduled for Thursday, saying the stage should not be used to express personal political views. At the same time, the orchestra emphasized Gilham’s high professionalism, calling him “one of the best pianists of his generation.”
However, after a wave of criticism, the orchestra was forced to apologize for its decision, admitting that the cancellation of the concert was a mistake. Despite this, the management reiterated its position regarding the inappropriateness of political statements on stage and confirmed the cancellation of the concert for security reasons.
Musicians of Australia, through their union, the Music, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, criticized the orchestra, accusing it of overreaction. They emphasized that “music and art always exist in a political and social context.”
We will remind that according to the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, 113 journalists were killed in the ten months of the conflict in Gaza. The Israeli military says it is not specifically targeting journalists, but reserves the right to attack Hamas supporters, which are responsible for the bloody attacks on Israel on October 7 that sparked the war.
