Eric Hewitt Placed on Leave
Eric Hewitt, former director of the Academy’s Symphonia Orchestra, has been placed on leave and barred from the Exeter campus after reports of sexual misconduct and other inappropriate behavior resulted in the termination of his contract at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music. Principal Lisa MacFarlane announced the development in emails sent to the student body, faculty and PEA parents this Tuesday.
I’m really upset by this because he’s a fellow musician I know and respect very much. The music side of him is very excellent, and very inspirational—that’s all I know...
According to an article published in The Boston Globe, Hewitt has been placed on leave from both the Boston College High School and Phillips Exeter Academy after the Boston Conservatory placed him on permanent leave Nov. 28. Hewitt planned to resign from the Boston Conservatory after receiving a performance warning from the conservatory in October due to “his behavior and interaction with students in the classroom and in rehearsals,” according to The Globe. While the conservatory did not reveal the precise reason for Hewitt’s termination, The Globe conducted multiple interviews with his former students that reveal a history of sexual misconduct and assault.
While MacFarlane writes that the academy has not received any formal complaints about Hewitt, many current and former Symphonia students have expressed discomfort with the former conductor.
Upper Adrian Venzon described an incident from his prep year where Hewitt played a student’s clarinet during rehearsal, and expected her to play the clarinet right after him. “The student was really upset,” he said. “We were all pretty rattled.”
A teacher in the music department, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed his surprise to hear about the allegations against his former colleague whom he respected greatly as a musician. “I’m really upset by this because he’s a fellow musician I know and respect very much. The music side of him is very excellent, and very inspirational—that’s all I know,” he said. “I’d be astounded for one thing—although we know people have done this—if he has done anything wrong here, knowing the ages of the students involved.”
Peter Schultz, the Head of the Music Department at Phillips Exeter Academy, declined to comment about the allegations of misconduct of his former colleague. However, he did assure Symphonia, the music ensemble that was headed by Hewitt, will continue to play and perform music throughout the rest of the school year.