The conductor Michael Bojesen has announced to the Minister of Culture Joy Mogensen (S) that he is resigning from his position as chairman of the board of the Statens Kunstfond.
He states this in an email to several media, and this is confirmed by the Ministry of Culture.
He withdraws after Politiken on Friday brought a story in which 12 former singers in DR’s girls’ choir described and criticized a “sexualized” and “cross-border” environment when the choir was under Michael Bojesen’s leadership.
For example, the singers in the choir were, among other things, rewarded for dressing defiantly for choir rehearsals and some were exposed to “unsolicited sexual attention” according to Politiken’s history.
In his email, Michael Bojesen writes:
– It has made a deep impression to read the articles in Politiken about my time in the DR Girls’ Choir.
– Although the article comes up with several accusations that I have not had the opportunity to defend myself against and that I do not recognize, it does not change the fact that the image I myself have had about my time as chief conductor does not match several of the singers experiences.
– It hurts me incredibly, and I would like to say a sincere apology to the singers who have had bad experiences or felt insecure during their time in the choir.
– I had the full management responsibility for the choir, and that responsibility I failed.
Michael Bojesen has no further comment, he states.
According to the story in Politiken, DR’s management received written complaints, which resulted in a meeting where the 17-year-old complainant was asked to withdraw his report.
DR’s cultural director, Henrik Bo Nielsen, has since called DR’s handling “completely unacceptable” and talked about a “management failure” on DR’s part.
Source: The Nordic Page