CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Orchestra has placed concertmaster William Preucil on paid suspension amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
On Friday, the orchestra announced that Preucil, concertmaster of the group since 1995, has been placed on suspension in response to an article in The Washington Post detailing an alleged incident between him and violinist Zeneba Bowers in 1998. It also said it was unaware of the allegations.
"The Cleveland Orchestra was not aware of the of the allegations reported by The Washington Post about William Preucil in their July 26, 2018 article," said executive director Andre Gremillet, in a written statement. "We take this matter very seriously and will promptly conduct an independent investigation."
Bowers, assistant principal second violinist of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, told the Post that after a meeting in Miami, where she played in the New World Symphony, Preucil invited her to a hotel room and began "aggressively kissing her, opening her buttons, pushing her onto the bed."
In the same article, the Post also reported a separate alleged incident in 2000 involving a different former member of the New World Symphony. That musician, also a violinist, told the Post that after a dinner in Miami, Preucil asked her to "let me lick you all over."
Preucil's suspension from the Cleveland Orchestra is in effect until further notice, Gremillet said.
Preucil's musical duties will be handled by other members of the group, including associate concertmaster Jung-Min Amy Lee and first associate concertmaster Peter Otto.
The Cleveland Institute of Music, where Preucil serves on the faculty, also released a statement in response to the Post article.
In it, president and chief executive Paul Hogle said he would not comment on details in the article but noted that the school is "deeply troubled" by the allegations and observes a rule of "zero tolerance."
"CIM has a well-defined policy regarding sexual harassment, and our Title IX officer and designated reporters thoroughly investigate any claims related to sexual discrimination and harassment," Hogle said.
A spokewoman for CIM said the school is reviewing the situation internally and has nothing to announce at this time.
At least one concert engagement appears to have been canceled in response to the allegations as well. On Friday, a web page listing a scheduled appearance by Preucil in October at the University of Texas at Austin was no longer available.
Preucil himself was unavailable Friday. The orchestra did not immediately return a request for a comment from him.
Bowers, meanwhile, delivered a fresh statement of her own Friday. On her personal Facebook page, the violinist thanked supporters for their encouragement and called on all fellow musicians to take action.
"Will you now say something to your management?," Bowers wrote. "Will you now take the step forward to support your female colleagues when you see this kind of [behavior] going on? I know that is a big step, but it is a step we all need to take."