Pianist Jayson Gillham, cancelled by MSO over Gaza comments, says he refuses to be apolitical

Jayson Gillham has broken his silence after being dropped by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra over onstage comments in support of journalists killed in Gaza during a show this month.

Australian-British classical pianist Jayson Gillham. Picture: X

The pianist dropped by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra after he made onstage comments in support of Palestine has said he refuses to be an “apolitical artist”.

Jayson Gillham, a British-Australian classical musician, dedicated a new piece to journalists killed in Gaza in a show earlier this month at Melbourne’s Town Hall.

The MSO subsequently postponed his further shows due to the “offence and distress” caused by his remarks, prompting the orchestra to pass a vote of no confidence in their board in support of the pianist.

Mr Gillham, speaking for the first time publicly about the controversy, said he is “grateful” that the furore is highlighting the plight of Palestinians.

He told ABC’s Late Night Live: “To be an apolitical artist, I can’t do that, you may as well do elevator music.”

On Friday, MSO musicians notified the board of their “overwhelming majority vote” of no confidence in managing director Sophie Galaise and chief executive Guy Ross and called for “a full and impartial investigation”.

The MSO has since labelled its cancellation of Mr Gillham’s performances an “error” and said it would undertake an independent external review.

Mr Gillham made the initial comments while introducing a new piece titled Witness, written by his friend Connor D’Netto, which had been inspired by Palestine.

He said: “We’d been talking about the awful situation of having to scroll through our phones and see distressing images everyday and that’s how the piece came about.

“It’s not the fact I said these words, it’s the reaction of the MSO that has put the light back on the journalists of Gaza and I am actually so grateful for that.”

In solidarity with Mr Gillham, one of Australia’s most popular bands, The Cat Empire, postponed its shows with the MSO.

But the funk bank has abandoned its boycott and said it now wants to “stand proudly” on stage with the musicians who passed the vote of no confidence.