More than 100 musicians from the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras (MCO) have said they have “no desire to sever ties” with the organisation’s founder Sir John Eliot Gardiner and are “deeply saddened” by his departure.
The conductor announced he would step down as leader and artistic director of the MCO last week following an allegation he hit a musician.
He withdrew from engagements including a BBC Prom after the incident last August and said he was seeking specialist help.
The board of MCO said it “made the decision that Sir John Eliot Gardiner, founder of the Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Soloists and the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, will not be returning to the organisation”.
However, it has been claimed that 123 musicians from the MCO have now said they did not wish to sever ties with Sir John and added “the views of musicians were ignored” by the board.
In response, a spokesperson for the orchestra, which comprises 360 musicians, said the comments feel like “part of a dirty tricks campaign against the MCO by a small group”.
A statement from the 123 musicians to the PA news agency said: “We, musicians of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras (MCO) are deeply saddened to learn that our founder and artistic director, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, will not be returning to the organisation.
“Contrary to recent suggestions in the press, we have no desire to sever ties with John Eliot.
“A recent poll of 173 of our musicians indicated 96% support for his return to conducting us.
“We fully uphold MCO’s commitment to hold John Eliot accountable for his actions and create a safe working environment, but we believe that this was achievable with him returning to the helm.
“Our board and management have successfully allowed us to fulfil engagements over a challenging 11 months and we are grateful to the conductors who have worked with us during that period.
“However, we regret that, while implementing policy designed to ensure dignity and respect in the workplace, the views of musicians were ignored.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to John Eliot for over 60 years of extraordinary music-making and look forward to many more opportunities to join him in the future.”
The statement ended with the names: Kati Debretzeni, leader, English Baroque Soloists representative; Alex Ashworth, baritone, Monteverdi Choir representative; Marten Root, principal flute, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique representative, who claim to be making the statement alongside 120 musicians of the MCO.
Sir John said on Wednesday he has “apologised repeatedly and unreservedly for losing control in such an inappropriate fashion” and believes it is best if he parts ways with the orchestra.
It is alleged he hit bass musician William Thomas after he went the wrong way off stage after a performance of Berlioz’s Les Troyens with the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique and Monteverdi Choir at La Cote-Saint-Andre in France last year.
A spokesperson for the MCO said in a statement to PA: “This statement feels like part of a dirty tricks campaign against the MCO by a small group, who have been undermining the organisation for some time and who seemingly do not accept the decision that the MCO board had to make last week, tackling a problem not of its own making and driven by our commitments to uphold the necessary standards of fairness, inclusion and safety for all our people, audiences and stakeholders.
“Our resolve on this matter is strengthened by the sad attempts by a small group to undermine our people and our organisation.
“We have held open meetings with our players for some time and the vast majority of our 360 musicians have had expressed overwhelming support for the difficult but right decision we had to make last week.”
The MCO spokesperson said the orchestra sent a response to the three musicians, and 120 others, about their statement and told them it “has proved impossible to repair the damage caused by his (Sir John’s) behaviour” which meant the board “had no choice but to make the difficult and unanimous decision not to re-engage John Eliot”.
Sir John founded the Monteverdi Choir in 1964, the English Baroque Soloists in 1978, and the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique in 1989: together these ensembles make up the MCO.
He conducted the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists during the King’s coronation, which took place at Westminster Abbey in May 2023.
He has two Grammy wins and has also conducted opera productions at the Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera and Teatro alla Scala in Milan.