Concert promoters end cooperation with conductor Andres Mustonen
Due to Andres Mustonen's performance in Russia, the State Concert Institute (Eesti Konsert) ends its collaboration with the musician. The organizers of the April 2 performance of Bach's St. John Passion have also ceased working with Mustonen.
Even though Andres Mustonen is not employed by Eesti Kontsert, he is the artistic director of the early music ensemble Hortus Musicus. Kertu Orro, the director of Eesti Kontsert, believes that any collaboration with Mustonen is no longer possible.
"Eesti Kontsert's values are defined by high ethics and loyalty to the Estonian state. Andres Mustonen's actions and attitude have showed his disregard for these values. For us, this represents an insurmountable conflict of values and a loss of trust and we will no longer work with him as a result," Orro said.
Orro will meet with Mustonen on Monday to discuss the future of Hortus Musicus and several Mustonen-related concerts.
The Hortus Musicus concert "Journey to Jerusalem: Palm Sunday concert" ("Teekond Jeruusalemma. Palmipuude püha kontsert") in Tallinn's Väravatorn has been canceled and all tickets have been refunded.
The organizers of the Palm Sunday concert decided to replace Andres Mustonen with Endrik Üksvärava.
Rene Hekkonens, spokesman for the organizers, told ERR that no one doubts Andres Mustonen as a top conductor, but given the current situation they have no choice but to replace him: "It is our responsibility to take a unified position on the topic of Russia."
Andres Mustonen performed with pianist Ekaterina Metsetina and jazz trumpeter Vadim Eilenkrig on March 19 in Novosibirsk, Russia. Metsetina is a member of Putin's Culture and Arts Council, which, Postimees reports (link in Estonian), signed a petition in March 2014 supporting Vladimir Putin's policy in Ukraine and Crimea.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Kristina Kersa
