Melbourne Symphony Orchestra appoints Peter Garrett and KPMG Australia to conduct independent review and engages globally renowned music leader Richard Wigley as strategic advisor

Musician and former Federal Arts Minister the Hon Peter Garrett AM will lead an independent external review into the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO).

In the wake of decisions earlier this month surrounding the MSO’s concert with pianist Jayson Gillham, the MSO Board today appointed Mr Garrett to lead the review, supported by professional services firm KPMG Australia.

The Garrett review will evaluate MSO’s policies, procedures and processes and cover protocols around freedom of speech and artistic expression on stage.

MSO Managing Director Sophie Galaise has left the organisation, with the Board appointing experienced orchestral leader Richard Wigley as strategic advisor to lead the management team with immediate effect.

The MSO Board said: “We are determined to shape our future and that works starts today. We want to ensure protocols are in place that are fit for purpose for an organisation of the MSO’s profile and the role it plays within the community. Recognising the need to restore confidence in the MSO, we needed a respected musician to lead this review and were pleased Peter accepted our invitation.

“We want to acknowledge Sophie’s contribution over the past eight years at the MSO and thank her for dedication to the organisation. We recognise the recent pressures on our people and management and are comforted that a person of Richard’s capability can step in immediately to help ensure the MSO functions effectively through this review. Richard’s deep experience in music and from leadership roles positions him perfectly for this role.

“The Board recognises the past few weeks has been a difficult experience for many of our people. There is a clear understanding that we need to learn from these events to ensure the MSO is best positioned to continue offering world-class cultural experiences for our valued audiences. The appointment of Peter, supported by KPMG, will provide confidence to our musicians, our people and wider community that we are serious about the process.

“We thank the musicians, management and employees of the MSO and our artistic family for their dedication and commitment to their roles as we seek to come back together in serving our audiences.”

Peter Garrett said: ‘I welcome the opportunity to chair this important review. Performing arts organisations are facing complex issues around freedom of expression whilst maintaining long-term sustainability in a dynamic and increasingly highly charged environment. If we get this right, the review may also serve a broader purpose for others who will inevitably face similar challenges.”

Richard Wigley said: “I am honoured to be working alongside the musicians, staff, audiences and Board of the MSO as they navigate their way to the future. While recognising the current challenges, the Orchestra’s remarkable artistic strength continues a long history of creative excellence that is undiminished. This is the precious bedrock that underpins the next stages of the MSO’s journey.

“My professional values are built on my time as an orchestral musician notably in the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester. Although it is some time since I was ‘on the stand’, I carefully retain the memory of the challenges and joyfulness that every musician experiences. I have been involved as a senior manager, including as chief executive, in rebuilding orchestras after precarious phases in their histories. A period of careful listening, considered discussion, sound judgement and implementation of appropriate changes is what comes next. I am confident that from difficult times comes fresh creative energies and sustained resilience.”

The MSO Board will provide more information on the review, including the terms of reference, as the details are finalised and is committed to sharing the high-level findings.

Peter Garrett
Peter Garrett has had a distinguished career in music with Midnight Oil, one of Australia’s best-known bands. His recent solo album ‘The True North’, debuted at number one on the ARIA charts. He served as a Cabinet Minister in the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments, including as Minister for the Arts and remains a prominent advocate on Indigenous and environment issues.

Richard Wigley
Born in New Zealand, Richard studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in the United States before embarking on a professional career playing the bassoon for the Halle Orchestra in Manchester in the United Kingdom. At Halle he was appointed the Orchestra’s Education Director and then Head of Artistic Planning, leading to management roles at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently he was Managing Director for Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Interim CEO of the Dunard Centre, a premier concert hall in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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