Baltimore Symphony fires flutist who shared COVID conspiracy theories
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Monday, October 14, 2024


Baltimore Symphony fires flutist who shared COVID conspiracy theories
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, the home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in Baltimore on June 27, 2019. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra said on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, that it had fired a musician who provoked controversy earlier this year when she shared COVID-19 conspiracy theories and other misinformation on social media. Shawn Hubbard/The New York Times.

by Javier C. Hernández



NEW YORK (NYT NEWS SERVICE).- The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on Thursday said it had fired a musician who provoked controversy earlier this year when she shared COVID-19 conspiracy theories and other misinformation on social media.

Emily Skala, 59, the orchestra’s principal flutist for more than three decades, shared posts casting doubt on the efficacy of vaccines and masks. Her posts drew criticism from musicians, audience members and donors in Baltimore and beyond.

The orchestra said it was dismissing Skala because she had repeatedly violated its policies, although it did not offer details except to say that the problems went beyond social media posts. Skala said in an interview that the orchestra’s leaders had also accused her of breaching safety protocols by not submitting to coronavirus tests before visiting the Baltimore Symphony’s offices in the spring.

“Unfortunately, she has repeated the conduct for which she had been previously disciplined, and dismissal was the necessary and appropriate reaction to this behavior,” Peter Kjome, the orchestra’s president and CEO, said in a statement.




The dispute is unfolding amid a heated debate over the rights of individuals as local governments and businesses work to bring the pandemic under control by imposing mask mandates and requiring vaccines. There are also widespread concerns about the rapid spread of anti-vaccine messaging on social media platforms.

Skala vowed to challenge her dismissal, saying the orchestra had created a hostile environment. She said she was being attacked for expressing unpopular views and that the orchestra’s leaders failed to protect her from harassment.

“When you’re a target, every day is a trap,” Skala said in the interview. “They just punish me for being me.”

Skala said she was working with the Musicians’ Association of Metropolitan Baltimore, the union that represents the orchestra’s players, to file a formal grievance. The union declined to comment.

Orchestra players are often tenured, like university professors, and have strong protections against being fired. But businesses often have wide latitude to dismiss employees they consider to be troublesome, so long as they do so in accordance with collective bargaining agreements, legal experts say.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.










Today's News

August 6, 2021

At Gagosian, art that reverberates beyond the gallery walls

Oxford University to collect the artefacts from its COVID research

Rhizome receives largest donation in the organization's 25-year history, from artist Rafaël Rozendaal

Jules de Balincourt joins Pace Gallery

Blondie + Hackatao partner to release crypto art series 'Hack the Borders'

Christie's presents 'Say It Loud II: Visionaries of Self' in partnership with Destinee Ross-Sutton

Candice Lin's new commission in solo museum show at the Walker Art Center

Brian Clarke creates field of poppies in memory of his friend Linda McCartney

New display 'Inspiring Walter Scott' opens at the National Museum of Scotland

Batik on display at the Fashion and Textile Museum

Patricia Kennealy-Morrison, rock journalist, dies at 75

CUE Art Foundation presents 'Lizania Cruz: Gathering Evidence: Santo Domingo & New York City'

The Contemporary Dayton opens three new exhibitions featuring three women artists

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors allocates over $22 million for arts and creative recovery

Charlotte Jackson Fine Art opens a solo exhibition of new work by Ron Cooper

Oil paintings by Ram Kumar and Jean Charlot lead Bruneau & Co's online auction

Zhang Yanzi solo exhibition "Where the Heart Is" opens at Ora-Ora

How do you capture four decades of hip-hop? Very broadly.

Germany fines musical instrument sector for orchestrating prices

A milestone for Broadway as 'Pass Over' begins performances

Mirvac signs five-year partnership with Biennale of Sydney

National Academy of Design announces appointment of senior curatorial and development staff

Arthur French, Negro Ensemble Company pioneer, dies at 89

Baltimore Symphony fires flutist who shared COVID conspiracy theories

The Most Opulent Casino Designs in the World

Top 5 Signs of a Bad Casino

Alcohol and Type 2 Diabetes: Is Alcohol Safe For Diabetics?

Best Medieval Games - Immerse Yourself In The Era Of Knights And Princesses

Top Apps For Brain Development That Will Make Your Kid Smarter




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Attorneys
Truck Accident Attorneys
Accident Attorneys
Holistic Dentist
Abogado de accidentes

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site Parroquia Natividad del Señor
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful