Symphony Six
Coming at the height of the McCarthy era in the US, the six musicians – Ruth Budd, Dirk Keetbaas, William Kuinka, Abe Mannheim, John Moskalyk, and Steven Staryk – were denied visas on the suspicion of being involved in communist activities.
At the end of the 1951-1952 season, the TSO refused to renew the contracts of these musicians, stating that they had not fulfilled their contractual agreements.
The incident garnered extensive media coverage in both Canada and the United States, and sparked a protest against the TSO's decision.
The orchestra's director, Ernest MacMillan, did not speak about the matter in public, which also prompted criticism, and two members of the TSO board resigned.
[1] He added vocal soloist Lois Marshall to the orchestra, as well as a piece by an American composer, Herbert Elwell's work Pastorale, and Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, to the repertoire.
[5] The TSO was required to submit to United States immigration authorities all the names of its musicians and other staff who would be accompanying the tour.
[5] Staryk related that he had played at Ukrainian and other ethnic events, and Budd admitted to being a member of a left-wing youth group.
John Moskalyk's surname was listed in the TSO's programs as "Moscow";[14] he had conducted the Budapest orchestra for two concert performances in August 1949.
In 1950, with an eye to taking the orchestra on international tours, he had written a letter to the American consul in Toronto admitting his former affiliation.
[1][19] After the six musicians were denied entry and before the orchestra had left for the United States, MacMillan solicited help for them from the Canadian ambassador in Washington, but his plea was unsuccessful.
[19] In January 1952 he wrote to US immigration officials trying to clear Staryk's name, lauding him as "an exceptionally talented violinist and valuable member of the orchestra.
[21][20] Jack Elton, manager of the orchestra, discussed the problem of these six players with the TSO board in a meeting held on April 21, 1952.
[22] The incident and the board's decision not to renew the musicians' contracts created controversy when it became public, garnering media attention both nationally and internationally.
The six musicians appealed but the union turned them down, stating that they had not fulfilled their contractual agreements and so the orchestra had the right not to renew their contracts.
[29] Pearson blamed the Cold War for such incidents, and added that the Canadian government was also denying entries to people wishing to attend communist meetings and was providing US officials with "security information".
[30][31] MacMillan stayed out of the matter; he did not attend meetings of the TSO board and maintained a public silence through the spring and summer of 1952.
[32] While some orchestra members were "genuinely supportive", according to Budd, many others publicly shunned them for fear of being perceived as communist sympathizers and losing their own jobs.
From 1956 to 1966 he directed and performed with the Dirk Keetbaas Players, a wind quintet featuring flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn.
[36] The TSO board had not renewed the musicians' contracts hoping that it would receive more concert invitations from the United States.
