Pianist Jayson Gillham loses discrimination case against Melbourne symphony orchestra over Gaza comments

Classical pianist Jayson Gillham has lost his discrimination case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Gillham sued the MSO, alleging unlawful discrimination due to his stance on Israeli forces killing Palestinian journalists. He claimed a cancelled concert was an attempt to silence him.

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The MSO does not condone the use of our stage as a platform for expressing personal views

Four days before the scheduled August 15, 2024 concert, Gillham performed a piece dedicated to Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces. He told the audience that over 100 Palestinian journalists had been killed and that targeting journalists in conflict constitutes a war crime under international law.

The MSO cancelled the concert, stating Gillham made personal remarks without their approval. An email to patrons said the orchestra does not condone using its stage for personal views, and Gillham's remarks caused distress. The MSO argued that Gillham, performing on their stage, should not share personal views on a highly contentious global issue.

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more than 100 Palestinian journalists had been killed and that the targeting of journalists in a conflict was a war crime under international law.

Gillham's legal team contended that his contract did not prohibit such statements. However, the court ultimately sided with the MSO, finding their actions permissible.

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Gillham was playing on the MSO’s stage, and was therefore not permitted to share his personal views on the “most hotly contested controversial issue around the world”.