Prominent Conductor Faces Serious Charges in Indiana
Renowned conductor and composer Julian Wachner, recognized for his contributions to some of New York’s prestigious musical institutions, is now facing grave legal accusations. Recently charged in Indiana, Wachner is accused of possessing both child sexual abuse material and cocaine.
According to Marion County prosecutors, Wachner is facing a total of 11 felony charges. These include 10 counts of possessing child sexual abuse content involving children under 12, alongside a charge related to cocaine possession. Wachner, who has entered a not guilty plea, was released on a $15,000 bond. Despite multiple attempts, NPR was unable to reach his defense attorney, Bill Frederick, for a statement. The court has set a trial date for October 20.
Authorities from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department claim that between August 2024 and February 2025, Wachner was linked to approximately $840 in cryptocurrency transactions. These transactions were allegedly directed towards a dark web site known for dealing in child sexual abuse materials. Investigating detectives report that Wachner admitted to using cryptocurrency extensively to purchase videos featuring children, with a particular interest in content involving children aged 6 to 13 years.
Prior to his arrest, Wachner was employed as a fourth-grade math teacher at Invent Learning Hub, a charter school. The school issued a statement to NPR, clarifying, “Effective immediately, Julian Wachner is no longer an employee of Invent Learning Hub. We want to be transparent with our community: at no time were our employees or board members aware that Mr. Wachner was under investigation, nor did we have knowledge of the actions that led to this situation. As part of our standard hiring process, we conducted thorough background checks in accordance with our established policies. The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
In recent years, Wachner collaborated with the Belgium-based early music group Concerto Vocale. Following news of his arrest, the organization announced on its website that it had “suspended its relationship” with Wachner, although this notice has since been taken down. During his tenure with Concerto Vocale, Wachner worked closely with a boys choir.
Wachner’s illustrious musical career saw him being nominated twice for Grammy Awards, and he was responsible for the production of numerous albums for labels such as Naxos, VIA, and ATMA. He also conducted leading orchestras like the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
Once a prominent figure in New York’s music scene, Wachner was dismissed from Trinity Wall Street in 2022. His departure followed a report by The New York Times detailing allegations from a woman who accused him of non-consensual groping and kissing during a Juilliard School residency in 2014. Wachner denied these claims and faced no criminal charges. He later pursued a defamation suit against Juilliard, which was dismissed by the New York Supreme Court.
Wachner was slated to conduct the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus this December, but his name has since been removed from their website. The orchestra did not respond to NPR’s requests for comment.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
