By Liz Hobday in Melbourne

Acclaimed concert pianist Jayson Gillham is about to premiere a new composition, prefaced by comments about conflict in the Middle East.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because the scenario led to the performer’s high profile and ultimately unsuccessful court case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The Federal Court case was thrown out last Friday, and while Gillham may have lost his court fight, another gamble may yet pay off.

The pianist has mounted an independent four-city concert series titled Keys to Life – Two Friends, Two Pianos, alongside Jordanian-Palestinian pianist Iyad Sughayer, who is making his Australian debut.

Along with playing Debussy and Mozart, the piano duo will premiere a composition by Palestinian-Lebanese composer Houtaf Khoury.

Gillham intends to tell the audience that the composer has lived under bombardment in the Lebanese capital Beirut, before playing the six minute piece which is titled Isolated.

The first concert date in Melbourne on Sunday is almost sold out, and Gillham says it appears his stance has attracted new audiences to classical music.

“What I wanted to put together was a concert like what I would have done before any of this happened,” he said.

“I want to be uplifting and I want people to come together, and share a beautiful experience with them.”

It’s almost two years since he performed a small recital with the MSO in 2024 during which he premiered a piece dedicated to the journalists of Gaza, saying Israel had targeted journalists to prevent the reporting of war crimes.

It prompted the MSO to cancel his next performance, and the pianist to then launch his long-running court action.

Gillham claimed he was unlawfully discriminated against because of his political beliefs but after a three week trial Justice Graeme Hill determined that was not the case, and the orchestra was instead protecting its business interests and reputation.

The orchestra welcomed the judgement in a statement issued last Friday.

The pianist is also in Melbourne to obtain legal advice with an appeal one possible next step.

“I stand by what I believe in and why I brought the case, and all that hasn’t really changed despite the result,” said Gillham.

A crowdfunding campaign has raised about $190,000 to cover Gillham’s legal bills, but the pianist says he does not know how much the three-week trial has cost.

Keys to Life will tour to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney.

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