Conductor who Insulted Armenian Cellist in Recent Scandal Fired

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra) Mark Gorenstein (pictured) was recently sacked.

According to Russian media reports, the conductor was dismissed in the wake of a scandal in the orchestra after the Tchaikovsky Competition. Earlier, he promised to take the Russian Ministry of Culture to court if he is made redundant.

Gorenstein recently came under fire for publicly insulting cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, who was representing Armenia in the 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

As previously reported, at rehearsals on Jun. 25, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra) and National Artist of Russia Mark Gorenstein told the orchestra: “Don’t let it concern you at all what this talent, this aul [a small village in the mountains; meant to indicate lack of respect] presented to us is playing. Your task is to play what is written there in the score and to do it with me.” This statement offended journalists who were at the recital, after which the story gained public attention.

This was followed by an official statement on the competition website which stated that the organizing committee considered Gorenstein’s remarks to be insulting.

Hakhnazaryan subsequently accepted the apology from the conductor.