The Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra members are supporting Sir John Eliot Gardiner after the conductor stepped down from his position.

In a recent poll, members of the ensemble were “deeply saddened” by the decision of his exit and had “no desire to sever ties.”

According to the Standard, the musicians polled 173 members (the organization employs 360 in total), and 96 percent of those polled were in favor of Gardiner being reinstated.

The statement read, “Contrary to recent suggestions in the press, we have no desire to sever ties with John Eliot. A recent poll of 173 of our musicians indicated 96 percent support for his return to conducting us. We fully uphold MCO’s commitment to hold John Eliot accountable for his actions and create a safe working environment, but we believe that this was achievable with him returning to the helm.”

The statement added, “However, we regret that, while implementing policy designed to ensure dignity and respect in the workplace, the views of musicians were ignored. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to John Eliot for over 60 years of extraordinary music-making and look forward to many more opportunities to join him in the future.”

Gardiner resigned on July 24 in a statement that noted, “After a long period of deep consideration and reflection, I have decided to step down as leader and Artistic Director of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras (MCO) with immediate effect. The MCO, which I founded in 1964, has been the proudest and most inspiring project of my life, and I have arrived at this decision with a heavy heart after six decades of remarkable collaborative achievement.”

In August of 2023, Gardiner hit bass William Thomas backstage during a performance of Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” because he exited the podium on the wrong side after the first part of the opera. The incident caused Gardiner to apologize publicly and cancel all public performances.