New York Philharmonic Dismisses Two Players After Sexual Assault Accusations

According to Phil's executive adviser Deborah Borda, associate principal trumpet Matthew Muckey and principal oboist Liang Wang "will never appear on the stage again with the Philharmonic"

The New York Philharmonic has confirmed that two of its players, associate principal trumpet Matthew Muckey and principal oboist Liang Wang, have been dismissed following "credible claims against them of sexual assault and harassment."

Claims were first brought against Muckey and Liang in 2018, and they were dismissed from their positions after the orchestra engaged a former federal judge to conduct an independent investigation. However, the players took their case to the union, the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, to challenge their firings — and the union decided the pair were "terminated without cause." They were reinstated in 2020.

The original accusations were brought to the ensemble's attention by horn player Cara Kizer. On July 24, 2010, the New York Philharmonic finished the second concert in their week-long residency in Colorado for the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. Kizer claims that after the concert, she was drugged by Muckey and Wang and raped.

These details resurfaced in 2024 after they were reported in Vulture, the standalone pop culture section of New York Magazine, by investigative journalist Sammy Sussman.

In May 2024, Liang Wang sued both Vox Media, the publisher of New York magazine, and Sussman for defamation. Muckey and Wang also filed separate lawsuits against the New York Philharmonic in the Federal District Court in Manhattan, according to the New York Times.

Most recently, on Monday, November 3, 2024, AP News reported that the New York Philharmonic had issued a notice of non-reengagement to both players, effective from September 21, 2025.

"We have done the right thing and we have followed the letter of the law," Deborah Borda, the Philharmonic’s interim leader, told The New York Times. "The facts strongly supported our case."

The decision was made following another independent investigation, this time led by Tracey Levy of Levy Employment Law. Levy concluded that the players should not be re-engaged. According to the New York Times, the investigation focused on new reports of misconduct made by the orchestra's musicians in addition to those outside the ensemble — and did not prioritize allegations from 2018 against Muckey and Wang. The Philharmonic has declined to release Levy’s report.

A nine-member dismissal review committee of the orchestra convened to discuss Levy's findings. Levy said that a majority of orchestra members did not want Wang or Muckey to return — and the committee made a unanimous recommendation to the local 802’s executive board.

Issued Tuesday, Local 802’s executive board said in a nine-page decision that every member of the orchestra’s dismissal review committee “expressed revulsion at the abuse of power and pattern of behavior,” according to the AP.

Borda added that eleven different women had made accusations against Wang, and three against Muckey. Some of these accusations were made by students. In addition, she noted that 75% of the orchestra's players had said they would refuse to appear on stage with Muckey and Wang.

"[The investigation] found that both gentlemen had been involved in sexual abuse and rape as well as abuse of power," Borda said. "This is all new information that came out and I think the reason is that people were afraid to speak up before and they are not now."

"They are barred from the building," she added. "They will never appear on the stage again with the Philharmonic."

Muckey and Wang have denied all the accusations. Muckey's lawyer, Steven J. Hyman called the investigation a sham and said that "there is simply no basis for this, and we intend to pursue whatever remedies we can. Matt has committed no wrongful acts.”

Wang's lawyer, Alan S. Lewis, said that in the case of the most serious allegation against Wang, the accuser was someone with whom Wang had a long, consensual relationship.

“Otherwise, the Philharmonic is throwing out numbers of allegations to mask that these are minor issues from very long ago, generally have nothing to do with the Philharmonic, and would not constitute ‘sexual misconduct’ even if all true, which they aren’t,” Lewis said.

Both lawyers said that Muckey and Wang will continue their legal challenges.