Pianist Jayson Gillham, whose concert was cancelled after dedicating a performance to Palestinian journalists, has filed legal proceedings against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO).
On August 11, Gillham debuted a piece of music, telling his audience Israel’s killings of journalists were “targeted assassinations” and that the “killing of journalists is a war crime in international law”.
A following event for August 15 was then cancelled, which the MSO said was due to a “series of introductory remarks” made with its “approval”.
The Briefing spoke with Jayson Gillham following his performance dedication. Listen to the chat here:
Gillham alleges he was “silenced for speaking the truth – that Israel targets journalists”.
In a statement addressing the legal action, Gillam said the situation went “beyond just artistic freedom”.
“It strikes at the heart of our right to free speech and the role of art in addressing important social issues,” he said.
“The MSO’s extreme reaction to factual statements highlights a disturbing trend of silencing voices that speak to uncomfortable truths.”
Gillham argues MSO’s actions have violated his human and workplace rights protected by the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Victoria) and Fair Work Act 2009 (Commonwealth).
“This battle is about ensuring that artists can perform with integrity and without fear of censorship or reprisal,” Gillham said.
“More broadly, it’s about defending everyone’s right to express opinions on important issues without being silenced.”