The winner of a blind audition is typically offered a 1-year probationary contract, during which the orchestra evaluates whether or not the player is a good fit. Personality, punctuality, and ensemble playing are difficult to evaluate in a blind audition, hence the need for a year-long evaluation process. This is standard operating procedure. If Rachel Ford had concerns about my past employment, she could've raised them during the upcoming year instead of shutting me down after the audition. I'll bet she's second-guessing that decision today.

This is Rachel Ford, the Knoxville Symphony CEO who denied me the Principal Clarinet job after I won the blind audition unanimously. Rachel, why did you invite me to the audition after reviewing my resume if you had no intention of hiring me? Why have me waste my time?

BLACKLISTED: In September the Knoxville Symphony invited me to their blind audition for Principal Clarinet, which I won by unanimous vote. Two days later their CEO called and refused to hire me, citing my ousting from the Nashville Symphony six years ago for resisting DEI as the reason, and instead gave the job to my runner-up, an obvious DEI hire who’s still in college. In response I sued the Knoxville Symphony two weeks ago for a year’s salary plus $25k for the 100 hours I spent practicing for the audition. This isn’t just about money though, it’s also about pushing back against these symphony CEOs who continue to put race and politics above merit and skill. Someone has to save our symphonies from being sacrificed on the altar of “diversity” and no one is better positioned to do it than me. Wish I didn’t have to do it but I’m doing it anyway. I was excited to take the stage with the Knoxville Symphony but instead I’ll see them in court. If Knoxville thought I’d walk away from this they were sorely mistaken.