The Dutch-based Lendvay Ensemble has been forced to cancel their concert at Switzerland’s Amis de la Musique d’Aigle after they were denied boarding by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
The ensemble, which consists of clarinetist Letizia Elsa Maulà , cellist Katja Didychenko, and violinist József Lendvay, attempted to check in online before their April 18th flight from Amsterdam to Geneva, Switzerland. Though the ensemble had booked airline tickets in January, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines denied the members boarding due to overbooking.
As a result, the ensemble was unable to complete their scheduled performance at Geneva’s Amis de la Musique d’Aigle, which was scheduled for April 19th.
In a statement posted to their social media accounts, the members of the ensemble expressed their frustration over the cancellation as well as the airline’s response to the error.
“What is most concerning is not only the overbooking itself, but the response we received: that we should have ‘expected changes’ because of Dutch holidays,” said the Lendvay Ensemble. “We are working musicians. Our schedules, our audiences, and our professional commitments are not optional or flexible. This situation has real consequences—not just for us, but for organizers and audiences who were expecting a live performance.”
The Lendvay Ensemble consists of violinist József Lendvay, violinist/violist Tomi Shimon, violist Julia Dinerstein, cellist Katja Didychenko, clarinetist Letizia Maulà , and double bassist John van Lierop. The group performs in combinations ranging from duos to string quintets and specializes in championing music reflecting Hungarian musical traditions.