People in the Okanagan have taken action and are speaking out against the unexpected dismissal of Rosemary Thomson, the former music director and conductor of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra.
The public became aware of Thomson’s termination after an internal email intended for members of the Okanagan Symphony Society was released on Dec. 6.
The decision came as a shock to many as Thomson had been planning to retire from her position at the end of the 2023/2024 musical season after more than 16 years of service.
“We will not be disclosing the specific details of the issues that led to the board’s decision… We respect the privacy and dignity of all parties involved. Because of confidentiality, we will not be saying anything further about this matter,” said the Okanagan Symphony Society in an email response.
The society said that it will be employing guest directors for the remainder of the season.
Additionally, the Okanagan Symphony Society said that they are currently looking to hire a new musical director and that they will feature audition performances for the position during the 2024/25 season.
Fans of Thompson’s work at the symphony are speaking out against the decision of the society. A petition to re-hire Thomson on change.org has garnered 1,821 signatures at the time of this article’s publication.
Despite the fact that her recent termination has garnered widespread media attention, Thompson has remained silent on the issue and has not responded to interview requests from Black Press.
However, while silent, Thompson is not sitting idly by. On Dec. 9, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra hired Thompson to perform as a guest conductor.