• Most Respected Classical Music Platform
  • #classicalForever
TOP

Cleveland Orchestra Concertmaster William Preucil Fired Over Sexual Assault Allegations

The Cleveland Orchestra has announced Concertmaster William Preucil has been terminated from the orchestra - following sexual harassment allegations

The Cleveland Orchestra has today announced Concertmaster William Preucil and trombonist Massimo La Rosa have been terminated from the orchestra - following an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations.

Preucil, 60, had led the orchestra since 1995.

The violinist was suspended from his duties with the ensemble in August of this year after an article was published in the Washington Post reporting an alleged incident in 1998 in Miami, where the then 40-year-old violinist invited a female student, from the New World Symphony Training Academy, to his hotel room – before aggressively kissing her, opening her buttons and pushing her forcefully onto the bed.

"The investigators found that Mr. Preucil and Mr. La Rosa engaged in sexual misconduct and sexually harassing behavior with multiple female students and colleagues over a period of years while employed by the Orchestra …” the orchestra has said in a statement.

"The earliest instance of misconduct directly reported to the investigators took place in 1996, and the latest reported incident took place in 2007 .... the youngest victim was 17," they have said.

"Moreover, the abusive conduct by both performers was made possible by their positions of power within the Orchestra and in the broader world of classical music."

"We are grateful to everyone who came forward to help with this investigation and intend to move forward as an orchestra community with a clear resolve to be more responsive and protective of our musicians, staff and anyone with whom our people interact," Orchestra Executive Director André Gremillet has said.

In August of this year, Precuil resigned from his teaching position as a Distinguished Professor of Violin at the Cleveland Institute of Music, following the allegations.

He was also un-invited from engagements to perform at the Grand Teton Music Festival, New Mexico Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the University of Texas.

upcoming events

september 2023

21sepAll Day03octKronberg Academy Festival(All Day) Kronberg Academy, Beethovenpl. 1, 61476 Kronberg im Taunus, GermanyEvent Type :OtherFOLLOW

26sepAll Day30Trondheim International Piano Trio Competition(All Day) Frimurerlogen i Trondhjem Selskapslokaler, Kongens gate 3, 7011 Trondheim, NorwayEvent Type :competitions Event TagsTrondheim International Chamber Music CompetitionFOLLOW

october 2023

16octAll Day27"Premio Paganini" International Violin Competition(All Day) Teatro Carlo Felice, Passo Eugenio Montale, 4, 16121 Genova GE, ItalyEvent Type :competitions Event Tags"Premio Paganini" International Violin Competition,violin competitionFOLLOW

20oct1:00 pm5:00 pmLillian & Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls RdEvent Type :competitions Event TagsLillian & Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach CompetitionFOLLOW

23octAll Day29Concours de Genève International Music Competition — String Quartet(All Day) Victoria Hall, Rue du Général-Dufour 14, 1204 Genève, SwitzerlandEvent Type :competitions Event TagsConcours de Genève,string quartetFOLLOW

28octAll Day05novISANGYUN International Piano Competition(All Day) Tongyeon Concert Hall, 38, Keunbalgae 1-Gil Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 53079 South KoreaEvent Type :competitions Event TagsIsangYun International Piano Competition,Piano CompetitionFOLLOW

CONTACT US
x

Get ALL our latest conveniently by EMAIL

Our newsletter is trusted by over 100,000+ industry professionals around the world

We deliver news straight to your inbox and will never share your data.
You'll never miss a beat!

click left click right