Concert pianist Jayson Gillham sues Melbourne Symphony Orchestra after being dumped over Gaza comments

By LIZ HOBDAY FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 06:38, 18 May 2026 | Updated: 06:39, 18 May 2026 Concert pianist Jayson Gillham is suing the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra after he was sacked in a case testing artists' rights to freedom of expression. The opening strains of a concert pianist's discrimination case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are about to be heard in the Federal Court. Jayson Gillham's case is set to become a test of workplace rights in Australia and the pianist has crowdfunded more than $175,000 to cover his legal costs. He is suing the orchestra over the termination of his contract after a performance at an MSO event in 2024, when he performed a solo piece called Witness dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza. Gillham introduced the piece by saying Israel targeted journalists in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world. The orchestra then cancelled his performance at the Melbourne Town Hall, citing safety concerns, with the controversy making international headlines. The trial is expected to run for three weeks and the MSO is expected to call around 20 witnesses. Artists should have the right to be themselves on stage and speak about pressing issues of conscience, Gillham previously told AAP. Jayson Gillham is suing the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in a case set to become a test of workplace rights in Australia The pianist (pictured with journalist Antoinette Lattouf) had his contract terminated over a solo piece dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (lawyers pictured outside on Monday) is expected to call around 20 witnesses during the three-week trial 'I find that it's a very important principle and I am seeing it through right to the end,' he said. On May 7, the orchestra's management wrote to supporters saying although the MSO would have preferred to resolve the dispute, it would defend the case. 'A fundamental issue in dispute in the proceeding is who controls the MSO's stage,' it said. 'The MSO maintains that Mr Gillham should have sought the authorisation of the MSO before making the statements he made from its stage.' The conflict in the Middle East region between Palestinians and Israelis escalated on October 7, 2023, when terrorist organisation Hamas launched an assault in southern Israel that killed more than 1,200 people. Since then, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to figures from Gaza's Ministry of Health cited by the United Nations. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.