This article presents the publicly available facts of a pending legal case. All claims are attributed to named sources, court filings, official statements, or on-the-record reporting. We have included the positions of both parties. Readers should draw their own conclusions.
In September 2025, clarinetist James Zimmermann sat behind a screen at the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and auditioned for the position of Principal Clarinet. The audition committee could not see him. They could only hear him play.
He won unanimously.
One day later, the KSO told him he would not be hired.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Unanimous | Audition result (behind screen) |
| 1 | Days to rejection (after reference check) |
| Dec 23 | Lawsuit filed (2025) |
| $72K+ | Damages sought (one year salary + prep) |
The Musician
James Zimmermann, from Hillsborough, New Jersey, studied at the University of Southern California and the University of Minnesota under Yehuda Gilad and Burt Hara. Before Nashville, he was a member of the Pacific Symphony. He performed at the Tanglewood Music Center, where he won the Gino B. Cioffi Prize for Outstanding Woodwind Performance. He played at President Obama's second inauguration. He recorded for best-selling video games and helped create Walt Disney World theme music.
In 2008, he won the Principal Clarinet position at the Nashville Symphony. He held it for twelve years.
What Happened in Nashville
The Nashville story is central to the Knoxville case. Both sides agree on most of the facts. They disagree on what the facts mean.
The Titus Underwood Audition (March 2019)
Titus Underwood, a Black oboist, joined the Nashville Symphony in 2017 as a temporary replacement for the outgoing principal oboist. To earn the permanent position, he had to win a blind audition.
During the final round, a violinist broke audition protocol by coming out from behind the screen and revealing that the remaining candidate was Underwood. Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero was reportedly opposed to advancing Underwood. At Guerrero's urging, the committee initially agreed to dismiss Underwood without telling him what had happened.
Zimmermann objected. He described the protocol violation as "disgusting" and advocated for Underwood to receive a fair hearing. In an email to colleagues, he wrote:
"If Titus had remained anonymous, as he should have, he would have been given [a] rightly earned opportunity."
— James Zimmermann, email to Nashville Symphony colleagues, March 2019
The orchestra relented. Underwood received a two-week trial period per the union contract. He went on to become the first Black principal oboist to receive tenure at the Nashville Symphony — widely reported as a historic first in American orchestral music.
The N-Word Incident (February 2019)
In a separate incident the previous month, Zimmermann asked Underwood whether it was acceptable for him to use a racial slur while performing a rap song rendition. Underwood consented at the time. Zimmermann later apologized, stating "the N-word did not feel good."
The Allegations Against Zimmermann
Titus Underwood reported to the Nashville Symphony's HR department what he described as eight separate incidents of inappropriate comments from Zimmermann over approximately eighteen months, beginning in September 2017.
Separately, Emilio Carlo, another colleague, reported that Zimmermann had been asking about his home address, that Carlo gave him a fake address in response, and that Zimmermann then approached him at work asking detailed questions about his pets and girlfriend. Carlo subsequently received what he described as a "20-paragraph email at one in the morning" with what he characterized as "multiple threats."
The Five-Page Email (February 21, 2020)
Zimmermann sent a five-page email to colleagues. Multiple sources — including colleagues who were otherwise sympathetic to him — described it as "manic" and "disjointed." The email referenced a brewing "war" with the prospect of "physical harm." In a paragraph recounting a colleague's comment about his dog, Zimmermann noted that his family owned a gun.
Interpretations of the email differ. One colleague described it as "a cry for help" and said Zimmermann appeared concerned for his own safety. When asked whether they believed the email presaged violence, six Nashville Symphony members answered no.
The Nashville Symphony placed Zimmermann on leave the following day. Armed guards were stationed outside the symphony hall. Less than a week later, he was fired.
The Restraining Orders
Two separate restraining orders were granted by two different Davidson County judges:
- Titus Underwood filed for a restraining order, citing the pattern of incidents reported to HR and the escalating communications.
- Emilio Carlo filed a separate restraining order, citing the late-night email and what he described as threatening language.
Both restraining orders were temporary. Neither was renewed.
Zimmermann has called both restraining orders "bogus."
The Knoxville Audition
In June 2025, the KSO posted an opening for Principal Clarinet and published the audition repertoire. Zimmermann applied. The KSO reviewed his resume and invited him to audition.
The audition was screened — performers play behind a screen so the committee cannot see them. This is the standard format used by professional orchestras to ensure hiring decisions are based solely on musical merit.
Zimmermann won unanimously.
Mark Tucker, the KSO's personnel manager, notified Zimmermann that he had won and that the orchestra would "get him on the payroll." Zimmermann was told he could start after a two-week delay to accommodate a Carnegie Hall performance he had scheduled.
The Rejection
September 17, 2025: The KSO contacted the Nashville Symphony to inquire about Zimmermann's employment history. Nashville Symphony President Alan Valentine confirmed the two restraining orders and provided background on the 2020 firing.
September 18, 2025: KSO CEO Rachel Ford sent Zimmermann an email:
"Based on a number of items which have come to the attention of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra regarding your employment with the Nashville Symphony, I regret to inform you that the KSO has decided not to move forward with offering you a contract of employment."
— Rachel Ford, CEO, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, September 18, 2025
The position was given to the runner-up. Alex Chang is currently listed as Principal Clarinet on the KSO website.
The Lawsuit
On December 23, 2025, Zimmermann filed suit in Tennessee Circuit Court for Knox County (Case C-25-341125, Zimmermann v. Knoxville Symphony Society, Inc.).
The complaint alleges:
"Had Zimmermann not been a white male, particularly a white male who had previously expressed opposition to DEI initiatives, the Orchestra would have proceeded with hiring him consistent with the result of its screened auditions."
— Complaint, Zimmermann v. Knoxville Symphony Society, Inc., C-25-341125
Damages sought: over $72,000 — one year's salary (more than $47,000) plus $25,000 for approximately 100 hours spent preparing for the audition.
Zimmermann stated publicly: "A blind audition is the most meritocratic system imaginable." He also stated: "They never wanted to hear my side."
The KSO's Response
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra released a formal statement:
"The KSO employs musicians and staff members of varying backgrounds and viewpoints. But the KSO's decision regarding Mr. Zimmermann was never about politics or viewpoints. The KSO made the decision not to hire Mr. Zimmermann due to legitimate safety concerns as confirmed by the Nashville Symphony."
— Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, official statement, January 2026
The KSO also stated that the organization has a "duty to ensure all employees feel safe at work" and that it "looks forward to an opportunity to defend our organization in court."
The orchestra provided documentation of the two Davidson County restraining orders as evidence supporting its safety-based rationale.
The DOJ
On January 5, 2026, after Zimmermann's story went viral on X, the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division responded publicly.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, posted from her official DOJ account directed at the KSO CEO:
"Rachel, we have questions."
— Harmeet K. Dhillon, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, January 5, 2026
Dhillon also wrote: "Ending government DEI is a big part of our work." Jesus A. Osete, the No. 2 official in the Civil Rights Division, also publicly engaged with the story. The DOJ's response came within approximately three hours of the story gaining traction on social media.
No formal investigation has been publicly announced.
Former DOJ officials criticized the approach:
"This risks vilifying the target before all the facts are known and undermines the credibility of the department."
— Regan Rush, former chief of the DOJ's special litigation section
Another former senior DOJ counsel, Mikael Rojas, described the social media engagement as "very abnormal" for a division head.
Bloomberg Law reported that Dhillon was "scrolling social media for anti-DEI targets" as part of a broader pattern.
The Two Positions
Zimmermann's Position
- Won the blind audition unanimously
- Was told he had the job and would be put on payroll
- Fired from Nashville for resisting DEI initiatives and defending merit-based blind auditions
- Advocated for Titus Underwood to receive a fair trial period
- Restraining orders were temporary and "bogus" — not renewed
- Was never given an opportunity to tell his side to the KSO
- The runner-up given the position was "still in college"
- The case is anti-white discrimination
KSO's Position
- Decision was based on "legitimate safety concerns"
- Nashville Symphony confirmed two restraining orders
- The five-page email referenced "war," "physical harm," and gun ownership
- Armed guards were posted after the email
- The KSO has a "duty to ensure all employees feel safe at work"
- Decision was "never about politics or viewpoints"
- The orchestra "looks forward to an opportunity to defend our organization in court"
The Full Timeline
2008 — James Zimmermann joins the Nashville Symphony as Principal Clarinet.
2017 — Titus Underwood joins the Nashville Symphony as temporary principal oboist.
February 2019 — Zimmermann asks Underwood whether he can use a racial slur while performing a rap song rendition. Underwood consents. Zimmermann later apologizes, saying "the N-word did not feel good."
March 2019 — Blind audition held for permanent principal oboe. A violinist breaks protocol by revealing the finalist — Titus Underwood — before deliberations conclude. Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero reportedly wants to dismiss Underwood. Zimmermann objects, writing in an email: "If Titus had remained anonymous, as he should have, he would have been given [a] rightly earned opportunity." Underwood receives a two-week trial period per the union contract and goes on to become the first Black principal oboist at a major U.S. orchestra.
September 2017 – 2020 — Underwood alleges eight separate incidents of inappropriate comments from Zimmermann, reported to HR. Emilio Carlo, another colleague, also reports concerns about Zimmermann's behavior, including late-night emails and questions about his home address.
February 21, 2020 — Zimmermann sends a five-page email to colleagues. Multiple sources describe it as "manic" and "disjointed." The email references a brewing "war" with the prospect of "physical harm." In a paragraph recounting a colleague's comment about his dog, Zimmermann notes that his family owns a gun. Six Nashville Symphony members later state they did not interpret the email as threatening; one describes it as "a cry for help."
February 22, 2020 — Zimmermann placed on leave. Armed guards posted outside the symphony hall.
Late February 2020 — Zimmermann fired from the Nashville Symphony after 12 years as Principal Clarinet.
2020 — Two temporary restraining orders granted in Davidson County — one filed by Titus Underwood, one by Emilio Carlo. Neither is renewed.
September 2021 — The Washington Free Beacon publishes a deep investigation. Slippedisc covers Zimmermann's "fightback." Zimmermann begins public campaign on social media and conservative media.
June 2025 — The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra posts an opening for Principal Clarinet and publishes audition repertoire.
September 2025 — Zimmermann auditions behind a screen at the KSO. He wins the blind audition unanimously. Personnel manager Mark Tucker notifies Zimmermann that he has won and the orchestra will "get him on the payroll."
September 17, 2025 — The KSO contacts the Nashville Symphony for a reference check. Nashville Symphony President Alan Valentine confirms the two restraining orders and the circumstances of the 2020 firing.
September 18, 2025 — KSO CEO Rachel Ford emails Zimmermann: "Based on a number of items which have come to the attention of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra regarding your employment with the Nashville Symphony, I regret to inform you that the KSO has decided not to move forward with offering you a contract of employment." The position is given to the runner-up.
December 23, 2025 — Zimmermann files suit in Knox County Circuit Court (Case C-25-341125). The complaint alleges: "Had Zimmermann not been a white male, particularly a white male who had previously expressed opposition to DEI initiatives, the Orchestra would have proceeded with hiring him consistent with the result of its screened auditions." Damages sought: over $72,000.
January 5, 2026 — The story goes viral on X. Harmeet K. Dhillon, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, posts from her official DOJ account: "Rachel, we have questions." Jesus A. Osete, the No. 2 in the Civil Rights Division, also engages. Within three hours of the post, DOJ officials have responded publicly.
January 2026 — Zimmermann interviewed by Megyn Kelly and Steve Bannon. Coverage splits along political lines. The KSO releases a statement citing "legitimate safety concerns."
March 2026 — Lawsuit remains pending. Alex Chang is listed as KSO Principal Clarinet on the official website. Rachel Ford remains CEO. No formal DOJ investigation has been publicly announced.
Current Status (March 2026)
- The lawsuit remains pending in Knox County Circuit Court. No settlement or resolution has been publicly reported.
- Alex Chang is listed as Principal Clarinet on the KSO website.
- Rachel Ford remains CEO of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
- No formal DOJ investigation into the KSO has been publicly announced beyond the social media engagement.
- James Zimmermann continues to perform and teach. He appeared on the Megyn Kelly Show and War Room with Steve Bannon in January 2026.
Sources: WBIR Knoxville. Newsweek. Fox News. Bloomberg Law. Democracy Docket. Slippedisc. Washington Free Beacon. Knox County Circuit Court (Case C-25-341125). KSO official statements. Zimmermann public statements and social media posts. Nashville Symphony reporting via the Tennessean and Nashville Scene.
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