Clarinet player James Zimmermann sued the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra after allegedly being denied a job due to his opposition to diversity policies.
Clarinet player James Zimmermann is suing the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra over allegedly refusing to hire him over his past stance against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Zimmermann announced in a video on X Monday that he filed the lawsuit several weeks ago after winning a blind audition for the Knoxville Symphony in September. He claimed that the CEO, Rachel Ford, informed him via email days later that he was no longer being considered.
„[B]ased on a number of items which have come to the attention of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra regarding your employment with the Nashville Symphony, I regret to inform you that the KSO has decided not to move forward with offering you a contract of employment“, the email reportedly read.
He explained that he was the principal clarinet of the Nashville Symphony from 2008 until 2020, when he was „canceled“ for resisting DEI policies within the orchestra.
