Shifting Political Tides in the World of Classical Music?

Over the past two years, neocons have asserted their cultural dominance by “canceling” performances of classical musicians who are deemed to hold incorrect political opinions. The musical careers of such top artists as Valentina Lisitsa, Anna Netrebko, Valery Gergiev, and Denis Matsuev have been damaged or ruined as punishment for their failure to politically grovel. So the most recent instance, when the managers of the Australia’s Melbourne Symphony Orchestra canceled a performance by pianist Jayson Gillham, after Gillham had made some comments onstage before performing a contemporary piece called Witness, which the composer had “dedicated to the journalists of Gaza.” Such “canceling” has become almost routine, but what followed is not: The musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra passed a vote of no confidence in their senior management, and issued a letter to the MSO’s board saying that “We believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO’s Values and Behaviors, however it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the Orchestra and staff.”