Here is what Jayson Gillham's said on his Sunday August 11 performance that outraged @MelbSymphony's Zionist donors. Two of the pieces Jayson played were a cry against injustice and oppression. The first was by Hungarian Jewish composer and holocaust survivor Ligeti. Jayson introduced the piece explaining how Ligeti was twice oppressed as a Hungarian in Romania and as a Jew and how he was forced into a labor camp and survived Auschwitz etc... The second piece was a last minute addition to the program, 'Witness' new work by Aust composer Connor D'Netto dedicated to the journalists of Gaza. Jayson introduced this piece by saying in the last 10 months Israel killed over 100 journalists a number were a targeted assassinations. This is a war crime. Journalists were targeted to prevent them from documenting and broadcasting of war crimes. Witness in Arabic means Shahid - from the same root word as Shaheed which means martyr. So there you have it. Two introductions one applauded the other might cost his career. This is what discrimination and privilege look like. #Palestine #MSO #Gaza #Israel #GazaGenocide

BREAKING: spread the word. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra #MSO just canceled a musician because he played a piece dedicated to Palestinian journalists killed in #Gaza in his previous performance. This is the email they sent to those who wished to attend his upcoming concert in two days on why they cancelled him: "During Jayson Gillham's performance yesterday (Sunday 11 August) Mr Gillham made a series of introductory remarks prior to giving the world premiere of the Conor D'Netto piece Witness, a late addition to the advertised programme. Witness was accepted for performance at the request of Mr Gillham on the basis that it was a short meditative piece. Mr Gillham made his personal remarks without seeking the MSO’s approval or sanction. They were an intrusion of personal political views on what should have been a morning focused on a program of works for solo piano. The MSO does not condone the use of our stage as a platform for expressing personal views. Mr Gillham will not be performing in the advertised concert with the MSO this Thursday night at Melbourne Town Hall. Customers will be advised of this change to Thursday's program as soon as possible. The MSO was at no point made aware of the content of the remarks Mr Gillham was intending to make. They were made completely without authority. The MSO understands that his remarks have caused offence and distress and offers a sincere apology. It has been a priority for us to address this difficult situation today. The MSO’s values are Respectful, Collaborative, Innovative and Diverse and they are at the heart of what we do and how we act. They guided why we accepted the work to be performed, and why we’ve acted as a result of the unauthorised statements. Music brings people together and that is why one of our guiding principles is “We unite our individual strengths and celebrate our unifying love of music, fostering understanding and belonging”. In standing for humanity and peace we seek for every one of our performances to be a welcome and safe place for all" Yours in music, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra #Palestine #Israel #Gaza_genocide