The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) has retracted its decision to cancel pianist Jayson Gillham’s performance, citing it as an error. The cancellation of the concert at Melbourne Town Hall on Aug. 15 was initially due to security concerns amid the global tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, the orchestra faced backlash for dropping Gillham following his comments about Gaza journalists at a previous performance on Aug. 11.
Despite acknowledging the mistake in canceling Gillham, the MSO stated that the concert could not proceed due to “independent security advice.” Gillham, an Australian-born pianist residing in the UK, expressed his concerns about the targeted assassinations of journalists in Gaza, labeling them as war crimes under international law.
The MSO emphasized that while they do not endorse political statements during performances, they have engaged constructively with Gillham and his management to potentially reschedule the concert. The orchestra sought independent security advice in response to the situation and ultimately decided to cancel the event.
In a statement to their supporters, the MSO expressed regret for the cancellation and apologized to those who had planned to attend. The orchestra admitted that an error was made in asking Gillham to step back from his scheduled performance and acknowledged the commitment of their musicians and staff.
The decision drew mixed reactions, with the Australian Jewish Association expressing concerns about anti-Israel activism at cultural events and questioning continued support from Jewish donors. Palestinian Australian playwright Samah Sabawi criticized the orchestra’s reasoning for the cancellation, suggesting that it was due to pressure from patrons demanding refunds rather than security concerns. Please rewrite this sentence.
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