Trinity Church’s Conductor Place on Depart Amid Investigation

Trinity Wall Road, a person of New York’s wealthiest and most powerful churches, stated on Saturday that it was placing its substantial-profile director of music on depart as it investigates an allegation of sexual misconduct towards him.

The director, Julian Wachner, a remarkably-regarded conductor, composer and keyboardist who has been a fixture at the church for more than a ten years, has been accused by a former Juilliard staff, Mary Poole, of sexual assault. Ms. Poole mentioned in an job interview with The New York Times that during a music pageant in 2014, Mr. Wachner pushed her towards a wall, groped her and kissed her, and that he ignored her calls for that he prevent. Mr. Wachner denies the accusations.

In a assertion to The Times on Saturday, Trinity did not mention Ms. Poole by title but claimed the church very first learned of “allegations of sexual misconduct” towards Mr. Wachner last month from social media. Ms. Poole just lately posted a comprehensive account of her encounter with Mr. Wachner on her social media accounts, saying, “I was totally violated.”

Trinity said it had hired exterior counsel to examine. “Julian was put on administrative depart on March 1 and will continue to be on depart for the duration of the investigation,” the church stated in its assertion. “Trinity normally takes these allegations incredibly severely.”

Mr. Wachner, as a result of an lawyer, denied the accusations.

“We respect Trinity’s final decision to perform a thorough investigation,” mentioned the attorney, Andrew T. Miltenberg. “Ms. Poole’s outrageous allegations are categorically fake and my client appears to be forward to the make a difference getting resolved. Because of to the ongoing character of the investigation we simply cannot comment additional at this time.”

Ms. Poole aided manage a 2014 Juilliard festival in Aiken, S.C., that highlighted Mr. Wachner and the acclaimed Trinity choir. In the job interview, Ms. Poole claimed that 1 night, at a dwelling exactly where Juilliard team associates were being remaining, Mr. Wachner requested her to get him a consume. When she was getting ready the drink in the kitchen area, she reported, he started to grope and kiss her for nearly two minutes, even as she explained to him regularly to quit.

Two men and women interviewed by The Periods — a good friend of Ms. Poole’s and a former colleague — recalled hearing Ms. Poole explain the information of the experience with Mr. Wachner at the time. Ms. Poole mentioned she did not report the incident to the police, since she was in a further condition and pressed for time in the middle of a tour.

In the job interview, Ms. Poole, who was 24 at the time, stated that she felt powerless in working with Mr. Wachner, an influential figure in the classical new music marketplace. “I felt like I could not defend myself,” she mentioned, adding that at the time she anxious she could put up with expert consequences if she spoke up. She reported that she nevertheless has worry assaults that she attributes to the face.

Ms. Poole reported the incident to Juilliard, which vowed not to use Mr. Wachner once more.

In a assertion on Saturday, Juilliard mentioned it was informed of “unacceptable conduct” by Wachner in 2014.

“Sexual misconduct or discrimination are not tolerated at Juilliard, and we choose all allegations pretty seriously,” the school said in a assertion. “At the time we available our full assistance to Ms. Poole and educated Mr. Wachner that he would not be invited again to Juilliard in the foreseeable future. Since that time we have experienced no romantic relationship with Mr. Wachner.”

Trinity, one particular of the city’s wealthiest church buildings, has a portfolio of office buildings, stock investments and residential improvement well worth $6 billion — and a critically acclaimed music method.

As director of audio and the arts, Wachner oversees the church’s choir, its Baroque orchestra and its contemporary ensemble, which collectively current hundreds of occasions each individual 12 months. He is potentially ideal recognized for his yearly performances of Handel’s “Messiah” — in 2018, The Times credited him with major “the very best ‘Messiah’ in New York.” He has been nominated for Grammy Awards and has collaborated with top companies, which includes Carnegie Corridor, Lincoln Heart and the Los Angeles Opera.

In the latest months, Wachner has emerged as just one of a few finalists to provide as the following inventive director of the renowned Oregon Bach Festival. The pageant did not respond to a ask for for comment on Saturday.