Suing The Philharmonic: One Violinist's Story

Iiolinist Anton Polezhayev has sued the New York Philharmonic for gender discrimination, and awaits his day in court. The lawsuit names the orchestra, music director Lorin Maazel, concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and personnel manager Carl R. Schiebler. The firm handling the case is Leeds, Morelli & Brown.

Since July, 2005, Polezhayev has auditioned for quite a few major orchestras. He was denied a job in at least two cases. "I wouldn't say with 100 per cent certainty that I won NYC Ballet orchestra seat. What is certain is that the kid who won didn't make it past 2nd blindfold round and they took a week or more to reach a decision, and I heard rumors, nothing more, that management didn't want me."

"I auditioned for one of two violinist positions in the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. In LA, again, I wouldn't say I won, but I came in as a top pick. This I can prove in writing. Within a week, though, I was told new auditions would be held, they weren't hiring from this group."

There are people involved in the Philharmonic suit who have close ties to the L.A. Orchestra and the NYC Ballet. Did someone make a phone call? Did L.A. decide not to hire Polezhayev because of his loss of tenure in the N.Y. Philharmonic, or was it the lawsuit itself? It certainly wasn't his playing.

Thirty-year-old Anton Polezhayev started playing the violin between three and four years old. "I can't remember a time when I didn't play." He was born in Leningrad, Russia and his parents Yelena and Vladimir were conservatory trained professional concert pianists. Yelena and Vladimir also started playing before they were five years old. They lived in an atmosphere of living and breathing music.

"We came to the U.S.A.