Two NY Phil players dismissed for unspecified misconduct

[John F]

Both are still listed on the Philharmonic's web site, but presumably they will be replaced for now by their sections' associates.

New York Philharmonic Dismisses 2 Players for Unspecified Misconduct
By Michael Cooper
Sept. 16, 2018

The New York Philharmonic said Sunday that it had decided to fire two key players — its principal oboist, Liang Wang, and associate principal trumpet, Matthew Muckey — for unspecified misconduct. But it said it had delayed their dismissals while the musicians’ union reviewed the matter.

The orchestra said both players had been placed on unpaid leaves of absence for now, resulting in two important holes in the ensemble’s roster as it prepares for Thursday’s gala opening night concert, which will inaugurate the Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden’s first season as the music director of the Philharmonic.

No details of the allegations against the two players — including whether they involved sexual misconduct or not, and whether they related to on- or off-duty behavior — were provided. The orchestra said in a terse statement only that after it had received reports that the two players had “engaged in misconduct,” it retained Barbara S. Jones, an attorney at Bracewell and a former federal judge, to investigate. An orchestra official said the investigation took five months.

“Following the investigation, the Philharmonic advised the musicians that their employment was terminated,” the orchestra said in the statement. “At the request of their union, the Philharmonic delayed the implementation of the termination and placed the musicians on an unpaid leave of absence pending the union’s review of the matter.” The players’ union, Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, said in a brief statement only that it was “aware of and currently looking into this matter.”


Alan S. Lewis, an attorney representing Mr. Wang, said in an email that “Mr. Wang is extremely disappointed in the Philharmonic’s decision and emphatically denies that he engaged in any misconduct.”Steven J. Hyman, a lawyer for Mr. Muckey, said that “Mr. Muckey has not engaged in any misconduct, and there is no legitimate basis by the New York Philharmonic to terminate him.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/16/arts ... uckey.html

[Belle]

As my late father used to say, the society's morality runs vertically through all the classes (and professions) rather than horizontally through just one.

[living_stradivarius]

One can only assume these 'misconduct' allegations are related to sexual harassment. But maybe it's something else (for once).

[jbuck919]

One can only assume these 'misconduct' allegations are related to sexual harassment. But maybe it's something else (for once).

Right you are to roll your eyes, for it can be nothing else. Although there are more-and-more stories, often important ones, involving very grown-up people, what is little understood is that this kind of behavior starts early in life and has been poorly addressed. I can't tell you the number of times I've had to deal with it as a high school teacher, with no end in sight.

[Belle]

Tell us about it!!!

https://www.9news.com.au/2018/08/20/08/ ... use-claims

[david johnson]

Muckey wed one of the NYPO string players a couple of years ago.

[Ricordanza]

Muckey wed one of the NYPO string players a couple of years ago.

As I recall, he was also Yuja Wang's boyfriend at one time.