We, the undersigned, stand with UA Florida in asking for the Palm Beach Symphony to cancel the performances and workshops of Putin supporter and benefactor, Vadim Repin on February 28 and March 2.
 
UA Florida, as a local Palm Beach County based nonprofit organization has sent our concerns to the Palm Beach Symphony without receiving any response. 

Mr. Repin is a well known public Putin propaganda supporter, and has been banned from performing in several prestigious European venues.  Repin, who was born in Russia, is currently a naturalized Belgian citizen, living primarily in Austria.  However, he is still  an active participant in Putin’s cruel, hostile regime. 

Repin attends Putin-sponsored government meetings, carries out Putin-directed assignments, and receives state awards and funding for his projects because of his relationship with Putin. Putin has been recognized by the United States as the head of an “aggressor state”.  We are concerned with Repin’s desire to “promote culture”, while, at the same time, promoting Putin’s anti-American agenda.

We, therefore, call on the Palm Beach Symphony to follow their European and American counterparts, and consciences, by canceling Mr. Repin’s performances, as well as a “teach-in” in one of our most valued high schools in Palm Beach County. We are especially concerned about his event at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.  Mr. Repin will have access to young people, who may not be fully informed about the political situation in Russia. One can say it’s “just music”, but he is not mentioning the highly talented Russian musicians who have spoken out against Putin, who were either killed,  or imprisoned for life in horrifying conditions.  

One wonders what Mr. Dreyfoos, who created what we know today as the Palm Beach County Cultural Council, would have to say about such an event.  One looks at one of his most remembered quotes: “Let’s hit a home run, or not go to bat at all.”  This is clearly not a home run for the school, the community, or the image of Palm Beach County, as a place that welcomes Putin propagandists.

We are asking the Palm Beach Symphony to address our concerns, as members of the local community, Florida community, and all who enjoy symphony music without promoting war or disinformation.  We would ask that the Principal of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Ms. Blake Bennett, to consider canceling his visit, or at least informing the students’ parents of Mr. Repin’s background.

Culture should not be used to promote war or propaganda, and Mr. Repin poses a real danger of doing both. 

NB:
We thank Russian America for Democracy in Russia and Arts Against Aggression (find their letter here) for their strong support of this issue.  We also thank other Floridians who have spoken out against the performance. (Find the article here.)  The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in Maryland, cancelled his performance, to show their support of Ukraine (find article here).  Most recently, the Mannheim Philharmonic in Germany cancelled his appearance, after the musicians voted on it (find the article here).