Violin Pedagogue Jan Repko Charged with Sexual Assault

Repko, aged 64, is facing a single charge of sexual assault despite multiple allegations throughout his career

It has been reported that violinist and professor Jan Repko appeared at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court this past Saturday, February 18, 2023, regarding a single charge of sexual assault.

According to London's Metropolitan Police, “the charge relates to an incident which took place in July 2022 in Westminster and was reported to police the same month. Officers from the Central West Command arrested Repko on August 10, 2022, and charged him on Friday, February 17.”

The incident in question was against a woman over the age of 16, who cannot legally be identified.

The charge of sexual assault by penetration falls under the category of indictable offenses, which must be tried in the Crown Court — one of three Senior Courts of England and Wales. The Independent reported that Repko has not entered a plea and is expected to be arraigned during his next appearance at Southwark Crown Court on March 17.

Born in South Africa, Jan Repko taught at the Royal College of Music in London, Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, Birmingham City University's Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, among others. He is also the co-founder of the Netherlands Youth String Orchestra and the founder and artistic director of “Festival Quattro Corde" in Sant’ Agata Feltria in Italy.

The Violin Channel received written confirmation from representatives of Chetham’s School of Music and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire that he is no longer an employee at those institutions.

The Royal College of Music provided an official statement: "An allegation was brought to us in July 2022 which was dealt with promptly through the College’s internal processes, resulting in Jan Repko’s suspension in July 2022 followed by his dismissal."

Sources close to The Violin Channel allege that before moving to the UK and getting hired to teach at the aforementioned conservatories, Repko was fired from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in 2001 after additional inappropriate allegations.

In London, most recently, District Judge Nina Tempia granted Repko's bail at £15,000. The conditions of his bail prevent him from contacting any former or current students. Additionally, he must not attend the RCM without prior written appointment, must surrender his passport, not go to or enter any international travel hubs or apply for international travel documents, and is also subject to an electronically-tagged curfew.

"The Feb 17th charge, brought against violin teacher Jan Repko by the Metropolitan Police in London, is a very good thing for children and women," violinist Lara St. John commented. "In early March of 2020, I visited the UK to speak with the principals of Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal College of Music about concerns I had relating to the well-documented disregard many UK music institutions have demonstrated in safeguarding their students from sexual abuse. I spoke to Alun Jones at Chetham's, who resigned shortly after we met for reasons unknown, and I attempted to speak with the principal of the RCM, but I was rebuffed in a most unkind manner."

"I can’t help but wonder, as with Brodsky at the Curtis Institute, Shipps at the North Carolina School for the Arts and the University of Michigan, Ling, Brewer and Layfield at Chetham’s and McTier at Royal Northern College of Music, will the refrain be the same? Everyone knew."

The Violin Channel will provide ongoing coverage of this story.

If you’d like to relay any inappropriate conduct in the classical music field, please email [email protected]. Your anonymity is assured.