(NEW YORK, NY)— The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has been joined by prestigious national and international groups in protesting the cancellation of a performance by the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) this weekend at Carnegie Hall.

The piece in question, "Marsh u Nebuttya" (or "March to Oblivion") by composer Jonas Tarm, includes brief references to well-known Nazi and Soviet themes. After an anonymous complaint about a February performance of the piece, NYYS abruptly canceled Tarm's Carnegie Hall debut.

In a letter sent today to the New York Youth Symphony's board of trustees and executive director, NCAC urges the organization to reverse its decision.

The letter is co-signed by several prominent organizations devoted to artistic freedom, including PEN American Center, Freemuse, Article 19 and Index on Censorship.

The full text of the letter appears below.

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The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) is an alliance of 50 national non-profit organizations dedicated to defending freedom of thought, inquiry and expression.

 

NCAC Letter to NY Youth Symphony