Pinchas Zukerman Says There Are 'Rotten Apples' At NAC Orchestra
   By Ben Mattison / Playbill
   13 Jan 2006
   
   Conductor and violinist Pinchas Zukerman, who surprised the
   classical music world recently when he took a six-month sabbatical
   from his conducting duties at the National Arts Centre Orchestra,
   criticized unnamed colleagues there in an interview with the
   Orange County Register this week.
   
   "In every orchestra, in every institution that has climbed
   to prominence quickly there's always going to be a few rotten
   apples," he said.  "And they have created an atmosphere that has
   to be eradicated, quite frankly."

   Zukerman made it clear that the sabbatical was not merely a
   chance for him to "re-energize," as the Ottawa-based orchestra
   had said in announcing the sabbatical last month.  The break,
   he told the Register, would give "everybody [at the orchestra]
   a chance to speak and discuss and become a different organization
   I hope in time."
   
   Zukerman's comments prompted anger at the NACO, according to an
   article published in the Toronto Globe and Mail today.  Michael
   Namer, the secretary of the musicians' union, said the remarks
   were "a polemic that is absolutely counterproductive." Jayne
   Watson, the orchestra's communications director, said they were
   "intemperate" and added, "For the record, there are no rotten
   apples at the NACO."
   
   But managing director Christopher Deacon defended Zukerman,
   saying that the music director was "frustrated," and "caught
   off guard" by the Register's questions.

Janos Gereben/SF
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