This is a slightly different post than what I typically write, but I was so upset by this, that I thought I would write about it.
Last weekend, during the Sunday evening performance of the Weber State Symphony Orchestra, the conductor (Michael Palumbo), stopped the orchestra by slapping his sticks on the podium. He turned around and searched the crowd for what he thought to be a child making noise. It turned out however, that it was a handicapped person.
When somebody in the audience informed the conductor that it was a handicapped child, he responded by saying "I don't care, get him out of here". The kicker here is that Ogden area special needs groups had received a special invite to this show. Reports from the audience state that the person involved wasn't disturbing the music but was just enjoying the concert in his own way.
After being asked to leave, the mother wheeled the person out of the room with the audience member staring. How awful is that? It would have been great if every person in that audience had stood up and left the auditorium.
The conductor did not apologize at any point for his actions, in fact, it is said that he was proud of what he did. It is sad that somebody can be so self absorbed that he didn't stop to think how this would make the person in question and his family feel.
Here is a link to the conductors information. Send him an email and let him know how you feel about his actions. http://departments.weber.edu/performingarts/faculty_staff/mpalumbo.htm
Here is a link to the Deseret News article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705394312/Conductor-shocks-crowd-orders-mentally-disabled-man-to-leave-Weber-State-concert.html
*** PLEASE SEE UPDATED POST FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY as well as some corrections to information contained in this post.
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