Conductor Lashes Out at Brass Section: “Quit If You Don’t Like It”

Last week, musicians of the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra received a fiery message from their music director, Anton Lubchenko, via the orchestra’s internal group chat.

“Good evening, dear friends in the brass section.

Based on the results of yesterday’s and today’s concerts, I’ve decided to recommend that you do not receive your bonuses before the holidays.

I can’t fire all of you (though I would love to), but giving you bonuses equivalent to your salaries is purely an act of goodwill—certainly not an obligation.

I’m sure management will be happy to save some money. I know not all of you are fools—some are quite professional musicians, whom I even (occasionally) appreciate.

But the problem with your section is that you don’t function as a team. Everyone is out for themselves.

In both rehearsals and concerts, you’ve used absurd seating arrangements. People are subbing for others on vacation without my permission, and some of you are covering this up by calling in freelancers like it’s a side gig.

That’s not what leadership is—it’s freelancing.

If you’ve forgotten that I’m still in charge—I’ll be happy to remind you. And the easiest, most pleasant, and most effective way to do that is through your paycheck. Maybe then your attitude toward the profession will change. Maybe you’ll take personnel selection, ensemble rehearsals, and program preparation more seriously.

As for the trumpet section, I’ve already issued special personnel directives regarding Fiyalkovsky and Antares, effective immediately.

If I witness another performance like the one I saw yesterday or today, I’ll extend my ‘bonus policy’ to the rest of the brass section.

Just like in war or the army: one person screws up, the whole unit suffers.

If anyone doesn’t like it—feel free to resign starting tomorrow.

Just a reminder: I don’t hold any of you in particularly high regard.

Good night.

Anton Lubchenko”

About Anton Lubchenko

Born on April 4, 1985, Anton Lubchenko is a conductor, composer, and pianist. He graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory and is a recipient of several prestigious awards.

He won the “Pure Sound” Award (often referred to as the “Russian Grammy”) in 2018 for his recording of Prokofiev’s opera The Story of a Real Man, and received the St. Petersburg Government Prize for Culture and Arts in 2019. He is a member of the Russian Composers’ Union.

Lubchenko made his conducting debut at the Toronto Opera in 2009. He served as a guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre during the 2015/2016 season and has collaborated with major Russian ensembles such as the Novaya Opera, New Russia Symphony Orchestra, and Russian Philharmonic.

Internationally, he was principal guest conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy (France) from 2012 to 2014, and has guest conducted the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, Brucknerhaus Orchestra, Dresden Saxon State Orchestra, Leipzig MDR Symphony, Regensburg Opera, and the Komische Oper Berlin. Since 2022, he has been a guest conductor with the Meininger Hofkapelle (Germany).

Lubchenko assumed leadership roles early in his career. At age 25, he became head of the Buryat National Opera and Ballet Theatre in 2010. From 2013 to 2016, he served as artistic director and chief conductor of the Primorsky Opera and Ballet Theatre, but was handed a two-year suspended sentence in 2017 for abuse of power during his tenure. He then led the Sochi Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2020, and served as artistic director and conductor of the Tsaritsyn Opera in Volgograd in the 2020/2021 season.

Since 2023, he has served as artistic director and conductor of the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra.