The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra said it had made a mistake in cancelling a performance by a celebrated British-Australian pianist over remarks criticising Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, AFP reports.

At a Sunday concert, British-Australian pianist Jayson Gillham dedicated a piece to “the journalists of Gaza” — some of whom, he said, had been the victims of “targeted assassinations” by Israeli forces.

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra said the use of their stage “for expressing personal views” was inappropriate and abruptly cancelled his Thursday appearance.

The orchestra has described Gillham, who previously performed a benefit concert for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, as “one of the finest pianists of his generation”.

After a fierce public backlash, the orchestra apologised for its “error” in “asking Jayson to step back from his performance”.