A 20-year-old Russian pianist who was scheduled to perform with Montreal’s symphony orchestra had his concert cancelled due to pressure from the Ukrainian community and some musicians in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) cancelled Alexander Malofeev’s performances scheduled for March 9, 10, and 13, saying that his 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.'” The decision for withdrawing Malofeev from the concert series comes amid mounting pressure on the organization from the Ukrainian community. Some OSM musicians also threatened to drop their performances if Malofeev played, reported CBC News. In a statement on Tuesday, OSM spokesperson Pascale Ouimet said the organization finds it “inappropriate” for Malofeev to perform, though he said the piano prodigy would be welcome to perform at …
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