When love goes wrong, and ends up in court
Calling it a “despicable interference” in his career an Ontario court has ruled that a woman must pay her ex-boyfriend the huge sum for having “impersonated the plaintiff, Eric Abramovitz, thereby frustrating a unique opportunity to advance his career as a professional musician”.
Abramovitz was one of Canada’s most promising clarinet players when he met flute player Jennifer Jooyeon Lee at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music in 2013.
The two soon began to share an apartment together.
Having won several prestigious music competitions while a student, a few months later he applied to finish his degree at the Colborn School in Los Angeles under Yehuda Gilad. Considered arguably the best clarinet teacher in the world, Gilad accepts only two students a year out of the many who apply.
Those accepted get a full scholarship of tuition, room and board, meals and some other expenses, worth about $50,000 U.S. and successful completion almost certainly guarantees an immediate spot with a top class symphonic orchestra.
Abramovitz was accepted but his girlfriend intercepted the email writing back that he couldn’t accept and then pretending to be Gilad wrote another to Abramovitz saying he had been accepted for a lesser scholarship elsewhere knowing that her boyfriend couldn’t afford that.
Not knowing of the deception Abramovitz finished his degree at McGill, although the relationship with Lee ended during that time for other reasons. He later went to the University of Southern California where he met Gilad and the deception was eventually uncovered.
“I am very frustrated that a highly talented musician like Eric was the victim of such an unthinkable, immoral act that delayed his progress and advancement as an up-and-coming young musician and delayed his embarking on a most promising career”. Yehuda Gilad affidavit to the court
Although Abramovitz is now with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, he sued Lee for damages from loss of two years of educational opportunity, loss of income potential and damge to his reputation. Gilad said in an affidavit to the court
The judge in the case said, ““I cannot speculate as to how high and how quickly Mr. Abramovitz’s career might have soared, but for the interference by Ms. Lee. But the law does recognize that the loss of a chance is a very real and compensable loss”.
Lee did not appear in court, and Abramovitz is not sure if he will be able to collect.
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