Violinist claims sex discrimination

A violinist who claims the New York Philharmonic fired him because he is a man says some of the women who were promoted ahead of him gave flowers and other gifts to their bosses.

Anton Polezhayev, 29, says in a lawsuit that he was asked to leave after the 2003-04 season, in the last month of his 17-month probation, despite being told by orchestra officials that he was doing “a fine job” and that his playing was “perfect.”

Polezhayev’s lawyer, Lenard Leeds, said Friday that the Philharmonic’s personnel manager, Carl R. Schiebler, even wrote a letter to a landlord on the violinist’s behalf, saying he expected Polezhayev would be “a long-term member of the orchestra.”

Meanwhile, Polezhayev says in court papers filed Thursday, seven female violinists won permanent jobs or were promoted over him, although some had less experience than he had or had not auditioned for the positions.

Polezhayev’s court papers and Leeds said that some of the women’s progress was accomplished by giving gifts, including flowers and champagne, to musical director Lorin Maazel and Glenn Dicterow, the concertmaster or principal violinist.

Of the Philharmonic’s 33 violinists, 20 are women, the orchestra’s website says.

Eric Latzky, the Philharmonic’s spokesman, said he had no comment on the lawsuit.