Montreal’s symphony orchestra has cancelled the appearances of a classical pianist from Russia this month, saying it would be “inappropriate” to receive him on stage as Ukraine’s population is under siege by the Russian army.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) was supposed to welcome Alexander Malofeev for three shows on March 9, 10 and 13.
“This heartbreaking decision was not taken lightly and is absolutely circumstantial,” the organization said in a statement on Wednesday.
The decision to withdraw Moscow-born Malofeev from the programming comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensifies. Thousands of people are thought to have been killed, both civilians and soldiers, in two weeks of fighting since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces invaded.
The United Nations estimates that about two million Ukrainians have fled their country, the biggest exodus of refugees in Europe since the end of the Second World War.
The escalating war against Ukraine led the orchestra to believe that the 20-year-old pianist’s presence would “not allow the OSM to fulfill its essential mission to ‘convey the universal message that music unites peoples and cultures in a spirit of peace, fellowship, and human solidarity.'”
“We felt that, on the contrary, it would contribute to increasing tensions within our community.”
The orchestra explained that it hopes to welcome the Russian musician in the future, adding that it has had “excellent collaboration” with Malofeev to date.
Michael Tilson Thomas, the OSM’s conductor, said in a statement that he was pleased to be working with Malofeev.
“It is regrettable that political situations have made it impossible,” Tilson Thomas said, adding he is looking forward to possibly working with the pianist in the near future.
Malofeev was also supposed to perform next August in Vancouver, but the concert was cancelled due to concerns over protests.
The Russian pianist, who has performed with orchestras and at music festivals around the world, has said on his Facebook page that he feels “very uncomfortable” about making statements to journalists.
Malofeev believes doing so “can affect my family in Russia.”
“I still believe Russian culture and music specifically should not be tarnished by the ongoing tragedy though it is impossible to stay aside now,” he said in a post on Monday. “Honestly, the only thing I can do now is to pray and cry.”
Last week, Malofeev addressed the cancelled concert in British Columbia. He wrote “the truth is that every Russian will feel guilty for decades because of the terrible and bloody decision that none of us could influence and predict.”
— with files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
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