In earlier post listed the Orient House concert on Thus 5 March in Manchester at the Royal Northern College of Music. The College have now issued this notice cancelling the concert:
"Over the past few days the RNCM has received a significant amount of negative correspondence relating to the booking of Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble on Thursday 5 March.
After careful consideration, and to ensure the safety of all involved, the RNCM decided to withdraw the concert. This decision was taken and actioned prior to the launch of an associated petition and in no way reflects any political view of the College. We apologise for any inconvenience caused"
This is one comment is from saxman John Dyson
"Disgusted with the RNCM re the Gilad Atzmon gig. What kind of message are they sending out to the world, never mind their own students, about the censorship of an artist's freedom of expression? We expect this kind of behaviour in a dictatorship, and rightly condemn it. We do not expect to see this in a democratic state. They should be thoroughly ashamed of this decision which I suspect is more to do with their funding streams than the safety of Gilad's band. The safety of the public is none of their business anyway. That is a police matter. If the gig has artistic merit, and it certainly has in this case, it should go ahead."
Here's the link to a petition objecting to the cancellation by RNCM
Some more thoughts on Gilad's treatment by the RNCM:
ReplyDeleteBy now it is well known that the coalition government, populated by extremists next to whom Gilad's views would rank as harmless and inconsequential, are planning legislation to prevent people of different extremist views to their own from speaking at institutions of higher education such as the RNCM.
Obviously, what we have here is a concert and not a public lecture, but, it is well known that Gilad likes to comment during his performances. These comments are always interesting, sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always an insight into his artistic development, i.e. what makes him the artist he is.
So, as I said in an earlier post, those responsible at the RNCM are at the very least not only guilty of censoring freedom of artistic expression but also freedom of speech. However, is it not also possible that they are trying to amass some 'brownie points' with their political masters in preventing this gig from going ahead. Or, more sinister still, was there pressure from HMG to cancel the gig?
I think we should be told.