Clarinet player sues Knoxville Symphony over alleged bias over DEI stance
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Clarinetist James Zimmermann is suing the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for allegedly refusing to hire him because of its past stance against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Zimmermann made a statement video on x Monday filed the lawsuit several weeks ago after winning a blind audition for the Knoxville Symphony in September. He claimed CEO Rachel Ford notified him via email days later that he was no longer under consideration.
“[B]“Based on a number of items brought to the attention of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra regarding your employment with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, I regret to inform you that KSO has decided not to move forward with offering you an employment contract.”
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James Zimmermann claimed that the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra refused to give him a job even though he won the audition. (iStock)
He explained that he was the principal clarinet of the Nashville Symphony from 2008 to 2020, when he was “cancelled” for resisting DEI policies within the orchestra. Washington Free Sign had previously reported that Zimmermann was terminated in 2021 after opposing efforts that he said promoted diversity over merit.
Zimmermann added that he would sue the orchestra for one year’s salary plus $25,000 in compensation for the time he spent practicing before the audition, after learning that his position would go to someone he described as “an apparent DEI employee who is still in college.”
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“I am suing because these orchestras will not be able to continue firing their best players to make room for diverse hiring and to put race and politics ahead of merit and skill,” he said. “What all this does is lower the quality of the music, alienate the audience, and turn art into politics.”
James Zimmermann previously spoke out against DEI policies at orchestras in 2020. (Adobe Stock)
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra expects to make a public statement on the matter later this week, Ford told Fox News Digital.
Zimmermann reiterated his support for merit-based orchestra tryouts to Fox News Digital, adding that there is much more open support for fairness now than there was in 2020.
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“There’s no doubt there was more support in 2026 than there was in 2020. Six years ago, when the Nashville Symphony was being taken over by DEI, I sounded the alarm, but it fell on deaf ears. My colleagues thought I was conspiratorial or just plain crazy. But it’s different now,” Zimmermann said.
The Knoxville Symphony is expected to comment on the lawsuit later this week. (iStock)
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He added: “There are still detractors out there, but the numbers who want to fight back against the madness of DEI are overwhelming. A blind audition is the most meritocratic system imaginable, and it’s clear that people see Knoxville’s refusal to hire me as an attack on meritocracy. You don’t have to be a symphony aficionado to understand how outrageous that is.”
