New York Philharmonic Dismisses Musicians Over Sexual Misconduct Claims

On Monday, the New York Philharmonic announced the dismissal of two of its musicians following a thorough inquiry that revealed credible allegations of sexual assault and harassment against them. The dismissed players are Matthew Muckey, the associate principal trumpet, and Liang Wang, the principal oboist.

Both musicians had faced allegations of misconduct in the past, and attempts to terminate their employment in 2018 were unsuccessful. However, in April of this year, the Philharmonic placed them on paid leave as new questions emerged regarding their previous conduct. The subsequent investigation, which began at that time, has now uncovered additional claims of inappropriate behavior.

As of last month, the orchestra informed Muckey and Wang that their dismissal would take effect at the beginning of the next season, although they will remain on paid leave until that time. Deborah Borda, the Philharmonic’s interim leader, expressed confidence in the actions taken, stating, “We have done the right thing and we have followed the letter of the law. The facts strongly supported our case.”

Borda elaborated that the inquiry revealed “patterns of sexual misconduct and abuse of power” exhibited by both musicians. She indicated that Wang had engaged in inappropriate relationships with students and had attempted to improperly influence tenure decisions. The Philharmonic reported that a total of 11 women came forward with allegations against Wang, while three women accused Muckey of misconduct. The range of accusations included inappropriate remarks and instances of assault.