RPO Conductor Fighting For His Job
By: Vanessa Herring
Updated: November 30, 2012
The decision by the RPO Board of Directors to oust conductor Arild Remmerit has sparked public outcry.
Just hours after the announcement a couple hundred people signed an online petition calling for the board to reinstate Remmereit. News 8 has learned Remmereit will fight to keep his job. Glenn Pezzulo is his attorney, "he moved his wife and young child here, he has immersed him and his family into this community," explained Pezzulo, "and doing various community outreach programs all for the benefit of the philharmonic orchestra."
Pezzulo claims the board of directors e-mailed Arild to notify him of the early termination of his contract. He says the organization breached the contract by creating a hostile working environment, "how hostile would you be if your RPO board in charge of running the organization is going to make a decision to terminate one of it's principal people and not give that person an opportunity to speak to the board," said Pezzulo. However given the opportunity and the right circumstances, he says Arild wants to keep his job, "he's committed to the musicians of the RPO and providing a quality product it he's given that opportunity with the right circumstances we're certainly willing to continue our discussions with them," explained Pezzulo.
Long time POPs conductor Jeff Tyzik is urging the community to have faith in the board's ability to handle the challenges ahead. In a statement he said, "Every organization undergoes changes and I know that the RPO will weather its current difficulties to emerge as a more unified, stronger, Rochester institution. I have complete confidence in our board leadership, staff, and musicians to deal effectively with out internal matters."
The RPO's board chairperson says the organization plans to create a search committee shortly to find a new music director.
Just hours after the announcement a couple hundred people signed an online petition calling for the board to reinstate Remmereit. News 8 has learned Remmereit will fight to keep his job. Glenn Pezzulo is his attorney, "he moved his wife and young child here, he has immersed him and his family into this community," explained Pezzulo, "and doing various community outreach programs all for the benefit of the philharmonic orchestra."
Pezzulo claims the board of directors e-mailed Arild to notify him of the early termination of his contract. He says the organization breached the contract by creating a hostile working environment, "how hostile would you be if your RPO board in charge of running the organization is going to make a decision to terminate one of it's principal people and not give that person an opportunity to speak to the board," said Pezzulo. However given the opportunity and the right circumstances, he says Arild wants to keep his job, "he's committed to the musicians of the RPO and providing a quality product it he's given that opportunity with the right circumstances we're certainly willing to continue our discussions with them," explained Pezzulo.
Long time POPs conductor Jeff Tyzik is urging the community to have faith in the board's ability to handle the challenges ahead. In a statement he said, "Every organization undergoes changes and I know that the RPO will weather its current difficulties to emerge as a more unified, stronger, Rochester institution. I have complete confidence in our board leadership, staff, and musicians to deal effectively with out internal matters."
The RPO's board chairperson says the organization plans to create a search committee shortly to find a new music director.
