Seoul philharmonic music director Jaap van Zweden accused of workplace abuse

Jaap van Zweden, the music diretor of the Seoul Philharmoic Orchestra, attends a press conference in Seoul, Nov. 20, 2024. Courtesy of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Renowned Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden, currently serving as music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), has been accused of workplace harassment, including making demeaning remarks to orchestra members and fostering a culture of fear in the orchestras where he previously worked.

Van Zweden began his five-year term as music director of the SPO in early 2024 and is also set to begin a new post as music director of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in 2026.

Previously, he held top posts at several major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

The allegations were presented in a 47-minute documentary released on May 22 by Pointer, an investigative journalism program produced by Dutch public broadcaster KRO-NCRV. The production team conducted a six-month investigation, interviewing about 50 orchestra members, staff and executives from around the world.

Many of the musicians interviewed — most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity — claimed that van Zweden’s behavior was deeply harmful, eroding morale and undermining their confidence.

“I’ve played for a lot of conductors. I’ve never played for anyone as abjectly mean and unnecessarily hateful as him. That’s the polite way of putting it,” a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra said.

“He’s a great musician, but he also created a lot of misery,” said a musician who had worked with van Zweden in the Netherlands. “After a conflict with him, I was in therapy for six months. He basically yells at you like you’re a four-year-old.”

Another musician said he underwent treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder while working with van Zweden. “I couldn’t sleep for weeks.”

A former member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic said, “I think a lot of us feel like, after 12 years of having to eat his bullshit … it destroys your confidence. It destroys your freedom. It destroys everything you were trained to do as an artist. It’s very, very hurtful.”

One musician said one of his colleagues had been prescribed tranquilizers just to get through rehearsals with him.

The production team found out that concerns over his behavior had been heard by orchestra management, but they were ignored because of his musical success and power.

While the team was unable to interview van Zweden directly, the conductor responded with a prerecorded video addressing the allegations.

“I know I can be demanding, but my focus is always on the collective, not individuals,” the conductor-music director said in Dutch. “I have what’s called the Amsterdam directness. But that can never be an excuse for a work environment that leads to stress or the use of tranquilizers.”

Born in 1960, van Zweden is a gifted violinist. At age 19, he became the youngest concertmaster in the history of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Netherlands. About two decades later, he transitioned from the violin to the conductor’s podium, building a reputation as a conductor and music director across continents.

In response to inquiries from The Korea Times, the SPO said it was aware of the documentary but declined to comment on the allegations concerning van Zweden.