Musicians in the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra claim controversial conductor Samuel Wong has been asking them to sign a letter praising his record following a management decision not to renew his contract.
Wong yesterday dismissed their claims as 'baseless rumours', without commenting further, but an official orchestra spokesman confirmed the allegations had been made.
Some musicians said they feared they would be sacked if they refused to sign the letter of support, which they believed Wong had written himself.
The orchestra responded yesterday by stating Wong no longer had the power to hire or fire players as an outgoing music director.
Ten musicians quit the orchestra mid-contract earlier this year, some citing what they claimed was widespread dissatisfaction with orchestra management and Wong. Nineteen musicians have left the orchestra - funded by taxpayers to the tune of $60 million a year - since Wong was appointed, and 15 have been sacked.
Philharmonic musicians allege Wong initially approached the orchestra players' committee and asked it to sign the letter supporting him, but the group refused to do so without a meeting of all members. Then Wong started asking musicians individually into his dressing room at the Cultural Centre and asked them to sign the letter, they said.
An orchestra spokesman confirmed it had received complaints from players who said Wong had asked them to sign the letter and that they had done so because they feared for their jobs.
