US EditionComposer Philip Glass withdraws 'Lincoln' symphony from the Kennedy Center
Philip Glass cites a conflict between his symphony's message and the Kennedy Center's Trump-led leadership; he joins numerous artists canceling performances amid political disputes.
- On January 27, 2026, Philip Glass announced he was withdrawing his Symphony No. 'Lincoln' from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, cancelling its planned June 12 and June 13 premieres.
- Amid the center's rebranding and board overhaul last year, Philip Glass said the Kennedy Center's values under President Donald J. Trump's takeover clash with the symphony's message.
- A prominent figure in modern classical music, Philip Glass, 2018 Kennedy Center honoree, had the symphony commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and Kennedy Center for June 12-13, 2026, performances led by Grammy-winning conductor Karen Kamensek.
- Removing the premiere leaves the NSO and the '250 Years of Us' program altered, with Kennedy Center officials not immediately responding.
- Glass's move adds momentum to a wave of withdrawals that over the past year and in recent weeks included Renée Fleming, Béla Fleck, and the Washington National Opera amid Trump's chairmanship and board changes.
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142 Articles
Composer Philip Glass Pulls Out of Kennedy Center Performance in Protest of Trump
"I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership." The post Composer Philip Glass Pulls Out of Kennedy Center Performance in Protest of Trump first appeared on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion.
Hip, new wave composer withdraws new work from Kennedy Center because of Trump
Acclaimed new wave composer Philip Glass has withdrawn his new symphony from the Kennedy Center because of President Donald Trump’s leadership of the revered cultural institution, NBC News reported. Glass’ new work, “Symphony No. 15 ‘Lincoln’”, was set to be premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Now also Philip Glass: He has just forbidden the world premiere of his symphony at the Kennedy Center. The classical scene awakens and protests against Trump. But the Boykotte are a two-edged sword.
The world-famous US composer Philip Glass has cancelled the premiere of his symphony about Abraham Lincoln at the Kennedy Center in Washington. This is the youngest of a number of cancellations since President Donald Trump brought the Cultural Center under his control.
Trump-Kennedy Center Reacts To Latest Cancellation: ‘No Place For Politics In The Arts’
Roma Daravi, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Kennedy Center, responded to composer Philip Glass’s cancellation of his latest symphony at the storied arts institution. “We have no place for politics in the arts, and those calling for boycotts based on politics are making the wrong decision,” Daravi told The Daily Wire. “We have not canceled a single show. Leftist activists are pushing artists to cancel but the public wants artists to perform and crea…
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