In its statement, the MSO described the boardroom overhaul as part of “an orderly process of board renewal”.
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Li’s departure would have been constitutionally required in July next year once he reached 12 years on the board, the maximum allowed by the company’s constitution.
Sophie Galaise was sacked as managing director of the MSO in the wake of the Gillham affair.Credit: Laura Manariti
The remaining board members will be led by Edgar Myer, a regulatory lawyer heavily involved in his family’s philanthropic affairs. New Zealand-born Richard Wigley, a concert bassoonist and experienced orchestral leader, has been appointed chief executive of the MSO after acting in the role since Galaise’s sacking.
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“The MSO is an iconic organisation brimming with talented musicians and artistic teams, led by a professional management team under Richard,” Myer said.
“I am humbled by the privilege of leading the MSO board and am committed to working with the board to strengthen the MSO, with an immediate focus on engaging new directors to reflect a renewed approach to achieving the organisation’s objectives and growing audiences.”
One of Myer’s most pressing tasks will be to fill the empty chairs around his board table. Former Victorian arts and health minister Martin Foley and Farrel Meltzer, chief executive and chair of the Wingate funds management group, will serve as co-deputy chairs.
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The MSO is Australia’s oldest professional orchestra.
Garrett, a still performing rocker and former federal arts minister, was commissioned to lead an independent review, supported by consultancy group KPMG, into the MSO’s policies and practices surrounding artistic and political expression.
The review was commissioned at a time when the war in Gaza had driven a rift within Sydney and Melbourne arts organisations between pro-Palestinian performers, their employers and Jewish philanthropists who fund their artistic endeavours.
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Garrett’s review was announced on August 26, but he did not start his work due to the legal complexities presented by Gillham’s legal claim against the MSO and the company’s dispute with Galaise.
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Three sources close to the company, but not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed that the MSO feared any staff testimony gathered by Garrett would have been potentially discoverable by lawyers acting for Gillham or Galaise.
This masthead has previously revealed the MSO’s practice of gagging exiting staff and orchestra members with non-disclosure agreements.
Garrett has now informed the MSO that the window open to him to conduct the review is closed and he is too busy with other work.
KPMG will instead complete the governance review it has already commenced.
“The MSO intended that musician and former Federal Arts Minister the Hon Peter Garrett AM would lead the review,” the company statement read. “Unfortunately, due to the delays in progressing the review arising from legal action commenced against the MSO, Mr Garrett is no longer available to lead the review because of pre-existing commitments.
“The MSO is deeply appreciative of Mr Garrett’s willingness to support this process.″
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The MSO statement said that once the legal issues were resolved, the company would embark on a “cultural change process”.
Tensions within the MSO broke into public view on August 12 when Gillham, an internationally acclaimed pianist contracted to perform two concerts with the company, made a speech on stage during his first performance accusing Israel of war crimes by targeting Palestinian journalists in Gaza.
Gillham made the comments when he was introducing a piece titled Witness by an Australian composer, Connor D’Netto. The piece was dedicated to journalists killed in the conflict.
“Over the last 10 months, Israel has killed more than one hundred Palestinian journalists,” Gillham said according to his statement of claim. “A number of these have been targeted assassinations of prominent journalists as they were travelling in marked press vehicles or wearing their press jackets.”
Israel denies its armed forces target journalists. International groups such as the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists claimed at the time of Gillham’s comments that more than 100 journalists in Gaza had been killed by IDF strikes.
The MSO management, led at the time by Galaise, was unaware of the contents of Gillham’s planned speech. Without consulting the board, they apologised to audience members offended by his comments and cancelled his second and final show.
This triggered a vote of no confidence in Galaise and Ross by orchestra members and a crisis within the MSO which culminated in the board severing Galaise’s tenure after eight years in the job.
Galaise has defended her response to Gillham’s on-stage remarks. “Why was I sacked?” she told The Australian at the time. “In my opinion it’s not fair.”
In Federal Court documents, Gillham said the decision to cancel his second performance caused him distress, hurt and humiliation and damaged his professional reputation. He has accused the MSO, Galaise and Ross of breaching the Fair Work Act by discriminating against his sincerely held political views.
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