The New York Philharmonic fired principal oboist Liang Wang and associate principal trumpeter Matthew Muckey after the union decided not to challenge the decision after renewed allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power.
The orchestra said on Monday that it had issued notices of disqualification for the two from re-participating from September 21, 2025.
Wang and Muckey were fired in September 2018 due to allegations of misconduct dating back to 2010. Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians filed a complaint, and the two were ordered reinstated in April 2020 by Arbitrator Richard I. Bloch.
New York Magazine reported the allegations in detail in April, and the two were placed on paid leave. They then sued the orchestra and the union.
“Matt Mackey did nothing wrong,” said Steven J. Hyman, Muckey’s attorney. “The fact that they attempted this is, of course, a violation of his rights. The terrible thing is that the union has agreed to this, and the effect is to render meaningless the most precious tenure rights of orchestra members, who can build their careers with the Philharmonic and be dismissed only for cause. .”
Wang’s attorney, Alan S. Lewis, called the union’s decision “shameful.”
In an email to the Associated Press, he said, “The problem is that the Philharmonic is taking the path of public assassination instead of due process. “They’re throwing a lot of mud at the wall,” he said. Lewis outlined the most serious allegations against Wang, who are unrelated to the orchestra and involve someone who “had a long-term consensual relationship with Liang more than a decade ago.”
He said other claims against the king were also false.
This spring, the Philharmonic hired Tracey Levy of Levy Employment Law to conduct an investigation and issue a letter not to reunite on October 15 after Levy concluded the orchestra was based on new accusations. Issued. Muckey said in his lawsuit that the New York Magazine article contained “repeats of the same 2010 claims.”
Under the orchestra’s labor agreement, the Philharmonic must send notice of non-re-engagement by February 15 before the start of the season. The two had the right to appeal the decision, which the orchestra said should have been “appropriate” under the collective bargaining agreement rather than a “good cause” standard.
The orchestra’s nine-member dismissal review committee convened to review the decision. Management said Levy said the majority of the orchestra members rejected the return of Wang or Murky, and the committee unanimously made a recommendation to the Local 802 Executive Committee, the union said.
“Local 802’s decision is not to arbitrate terminations,” Local 802 President Sara Cutler wrote in an email to orchestra members Monday.
Cutler said the district’s written decision will be sent to orchestra members on Tuesday.
“We have heard complaints from some of you about the lack of transparency in this process,” Cutler wrote. “I understand the frustration, but I believe that in this case protecting the integrity of the process and the confidentiality of everyone involved is more important than the need for transparency.”
Muckey was hired by the orchestra in June 2006 and received tenure in January 2008. Wang was hired as principal oboist in September 2006.
