London orchestra accused of ‘woke nonsense’ after refusing to play national anthem
London contemporary orchestra The Chineke! has been accused of “woke nonsense” after it refused to play the UK national anthem at the time of the Queen’s mourning.
During a performance in Switzerland during Queen Elizabeth II’s mourning period, The Chineke! did not play God Save the King during their set.
As per an email seen by Daily Mail, the orchestra’s founder and artistic director Chi-chi Nwanoku wrote: “The Chineke! Orchestra is full of non-British musicians and many who are the direct result of their ancestors being enslaved.
“We will not play the national anthem in Lucerne.”
The orchestra consists of 62 musicians who have ethnically diverse roots.
Reportedly, the organisers of the Lucerne Festival in central Switzerland had suggested that the orchestra should begin its performance with the national anthem, however, the idea was rejected by Nwanoku.
“I would be extremely uncomfortable imposing it on people who are not British and not nationalist and the list goes on,” she weote. “That doesn’t mean we aren’t sad the Queen passed away.”
Nwanoku also revealed that The Chineke! observed Prince Philip’s death last April with a minute’s silence, which was not received well by some members.
“Many in the orchestra were incredibly upset that they were being forced to do this because the empire is built almost entirely on racism and the plundering of Africa,” she wrote.
Nwanoku received a CBE at the Queen’s Birthday Honours earlier this year for services to music and diversity. She also received an MBE in 2001 and an OBE in 2017.
This decision was condemned by many people including Tory MP Julian Knight, and Slipped Disc classical music’s owner Norman Lebrecht.
Knight, who is the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, wrote: “It’s a bizarre opinion which seems even more bizarre coming from someone who has a bag full of honours.”
Lebrecht added: “It’s terribly disappointing that a young British orchestra, representing the country during a week of state mourning, was unable to perform the National Anthem as a mark of respect to the late Queen. That’s damaging, not to Britain but to Chineke!”
The Independent has contacted The Chineke! for comment.
