The New York Philharmonic is firing principal oboist Liang Wang and associate principal trumpet Matthew Muckey after their union decided not contest the decision, which followed renewed allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power.
The orchestra said Monday it issued a notice of non-reengagement to the two effective Sept. 21, 2025.
Wang and Muckey were fired in September 2018 following allegations of misconduct dating to 2010. Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians filed a grievance and the two were ordered reinstated in April 2020 by arbitrator Richard I. Bloch. Both men deny any wrongdoing.
New York Magazine in April detailed allegations and the two were placed on paid leave. They then sued the orchestra and the union.
Local 802's executive board said in a nine-page decision issued Tuesday that every member of the orchestra's nine-member dismissal review committee “expressed revulsion at the abuse of power and pattern of behavior.”
Philharmonic executive adviser Deborah Borda said 11 women made accusations against Wang and three against Muckey during the latest investigation.
“It found that both gentlemen had been involved in sexual abuse and rape as well as abuse of power,” Borda said. “This is all new information that came out and I think the reason is that people were afraid to speak up before and they are not now.”
Borda said some of the allegations were made by students.
Steven J. Hyman, a lawyer for Muckey, accused the union of a "baseless smear campaign, ignoring clear evidence to the contrary."
“Local 802’s decision is deeply troubling and raises serious questions about potential collusion with the philharmonic in their effort to terminate Matthew Muckey without just cause,” Hyman said in a statement Tuesday. “They reference an alleged encounter from 2008 with a young woman, claiming she did not provide meaningful consent; however, contemporaneous text messages directly contradict this allegation.”
Alan S. Lewis, a lawyer for Wang, called the union's decision “shameful.”
“Troublingly, the philharmonic has gone down the road of public character assassination instead of due process, throwing a lot of mud against the wall to see what sticks,” he wrote Monday in an email to The Associated Press. Lewis described the most serious allegation against Wang involving a person unaffiliated with the orchestra and "with whom, more than a decade ago, Liang had a long-term consensual relationship.”
He called the other allegations against Wang false.
The philharmonic this spring hired Tracey Levy of Levy Employment Law to investigate and issued a letter of non-re-engagement on Oct. 15 following Levy’s conclusions that the orchestra said were based on new accusations. Muckey said in his lawsuit the New York Magazine story contained "a reiteration of the same 2010 allegations."
The guild's executive committee decision said in Wang's case 11 witnesses “testified to specific instances of rape, sexual assault, grooming of a young female musician, inappropriate touching and comments, unwelcome kissing, and other sexually harassing behavior.”
The report said a woman six years younger than Muckey testified they “had sex when she was 18 years old and was too incapacitated by alcohol to voluntarily consent.”
“While the allegations concerning Muckey are not as numerous as those involving Wang, we cannot ignore the fact that they demonstrate a similar abuse of power and failure to acknowledge the importance of a woman’s consent to sexual relations,” the report said.
Under the orchestra’s labor contract, the philharmonic must give notice of a non-reengagement by the Feb. 15 prior to the season in question. The two had the right to contest the decision, which the orchestra said must be “appropriate” under the collective bargaining agreement instead of a “just cause” standard.
“Local 802’s decision is not to arbitrate the termination,” local 802 president Sara Cutler wrote in an email to the orchestra members on Monday.
The executive board's unanimous report said it was not determining whether criminal conduct took place but only “whether the notices of non-reengagement were appropriate.”
“Considering the 11 witnesses who testified about Wang’s pattern of sexual violence and harassment over many years, we do not credit his denials or failure to remember these events,” the report said. “With respect to Muckey, we similarly do not find his denials sufficient to overcome the testimony of the witness whom the investigator found credible and the pattern of conduct she described. Additionally, the lack of any contrition and the absence of any empathy shown towards the victims reinforces our view that the dismissal was appropriate.”
The report said two-thirds of the orchestra members had said they would refuse to appear on stage with the two.
Muckey was hired by the orchestra in June 2006 and was given tenure in January 2008. Wang was hired as principal oboe in September 2006.
“They are barred from the building,” Borda said. “They will never appear on the stage again with the philharmonic.”
FILE - David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center where the New York Philharmonic primarily performs in New York, May 12, 2020. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico is holding elections that will be historic regardless of which of the top two gubernatorial candidates wins.
If Jenniffer González of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party wins Tuesday's election, it will mark the first time in the island’s history that the party secures three consecutive terms.
If Juan Dalmau, who is running for Puerto Rico’s Independence Party and Citizen Victory Movement, wins, it will be the first win for a candidate outside of the two main parties that have dominated the island’s politics for decades.
Trailing González and Dalmau in polls is Jesús Manuel Ortiz of the Popular Democratic Party, which supports the island’s territorial status. Also running is Javier Jiménez of Project Dignity, a conservative party created in 2019.
Thousands of voters across the U.S. territory stood in long lines clutching umbrellas, undeterred by heavy rain.
“I feel that for the first time, there is an opportunity for change,” said Jorge Hernández, a 24-year-old arts student as he waited to cast his vote. “The bipartisanship is losing strength. I have faith that there can be real change.”
For decades, the New Progressive Party and the Popular Democratic Party would receive at least 90% of all votes, but that began to change in 2016. Newer parties are attracting more voters given Puerto Rico's economic and political turmoil while a younger generation is decrying corruption, persistent power outages and a lack of affordable housing, among other things.
Education, health and public safety also were on voters' minds as they marveled at the long lines despite the rain.
“I've never seen it like this,” said Nadja Oquendo, a 62-year-old retiree.
Faviola Alcalá, a pro surfer, said she was voting for the first time and was thrilled to see the line at her polling station.
“I love it,” she said, adding that she wants a break from Puerto Rico's two main parties and more opportunities for young people.
Among the voters who stepped out despite the rain was reggaetón superstar Bad Bunny, who has derided the pro-statehood party and made a brief appearance at Dalmau's campaign closer.
“I trust that we the people of Puerto Rico will make the right decision for the future of our people,” he told reporters.
Long lines were reported at several polling stations given malfunctioning voting machines and other issues, including power outages.
Some voters turned on their phone's timers to see how long they stood in line while others munched on snacks as a street vendor cried out, "Cold water! Cold water!"
Ommy González, a 25-year-old bartender who was voting for the first time, carried a fold-out chair and a water bottle.
“I'm very excited,” he said. “Obviously we want something different for the people.”
González said he wants a stronger economy and education system and denounced persistent political corruption: “Stop taking money and misspending it.”
Several voters said they were surprised at how quickly minority and new parties have become serious threats to the stronghold the two main parties have had on Puerto Rico's politics.
“I didn't see this happening so early on, but I'm glad,” said Giulianna Abreu, a 33-year-old publicist.
Long lines persisted after the official closing of polls at 5 p.m. local time Tuesday, and people already in line were allowed to vote. Results could take days. In 2020, it took officials four days to release preliminary results.
Dalmau, however, said he believed results for the governorship would be ready by late Tuesday.: “We are hopeful that this country will take a historic step."
Puerto Rico’s State Elections Commission is still counting more than 220,000 early and absentee votes, with counting starting more than two weeks later than usual. Jessika Padilla, the commission’s alternate president, said some 40% of those votes had been counted as of Monday.
“This validation process is one that we are not going to take lightly,” she said.
More than 5,000 inmates out of some 7,400 total also have voted, although it’s unclear how many of those votes have been counted.
Officials also are still receiving allegations about electoral crimes, including from people who said they received confirmations for early voting when they made no such request.
On Tuesday, voters also will be asked for a seventh time about Puerto Rico’s political status. The nonbinding referendum offers three options: statehood, independence and independence with free association, under which issues like foreign affairs, U.S. citizenship and use of the U.S. dollar would be negotiated.
“We're going to work to give our people equality,” said Jenniffer González of the pro-statehood party.
Party officials have long noted that despite being a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico receives unequal treatment when it comes to Medicaid, Medicare and other federal programs.
Regardless of the referendum's outcome, a change in status requires approval from the U.S. Congress.
Some voters on Monday said that statehood is the only thing that will help pull Puerto Rico out of its slump.
In addition, Puerto Ricans on Tuesday can support Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in a symbolic vote if they wish. While Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, those on the island are not allowed to vote in U.S. presidential elections.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Supporters carry the Puerto Rican flag before Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak at a campaign rally, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A campaign poster promotes New Progressive Party gubernatorial candidate and Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress Jenniffer González, above a campaign poster of resident commissioner candidate Luis Villafañe, defaced with the Spanish words for corrupt and rogue, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
A view of La Perla neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo by Alejandro Granadillo)
A billboard promoting Puerto Rico’s Independence Party and the Citizen Victory Movement gubernatorial candidate Juan Dalmau towers over a highway, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.(AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
A supporter waves a Puerto Rican Independence Party flag while holding a campaign poster promoting the Citizens' Victory Movement mayoral candidate Manuel Natal, during a caravan in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
