Philip Glass Pulls Lincoln Symphony From Kennedy Center Over Values Clash
A major cultural line has just been crossed at one of America’s most powerful arts institutions and the shockwaves are reaching far beyond the concert hall.
Legendary composer Philip Glass has withdrawn the world premiere of his Lincoln Symphony from the Kennedy Center, saying the values of the institution no longer align with the message of the work. This was not a scheduling issue. This was a statement.
Glass, one of the most influential living composers and a defining voice of modern classical music, wrote directly to the Kennedy Center’s leadership, saying his Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and that the center’s current direction stands in direct conflict with the ideals the music represents. Because of that conflict, he said he felt morally obligated to pull the premiere.
The symphony had been set to debut in June, performed by the National Symphony Orchestra and it was co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center itself. That makes this decision unusually rare and deeply symbolic. A world premiere is not easily replaced and a composer of Glass’s stature does not walk away lightly.
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This move comes amid growing turmoil at the Kennedy Center following sweeping changes under President Donald Trump’s leadership. Since returning to office, Trump reshaped the center’s board, removed long-standing leadership and ultimately became chair himself. The institution was also renamed to include Trump’s name alongside John F. Kennedy, a move that has sparked backlash across the arts world and remains legally disputed.
Glass is not alone. A growing list of musicians, performers and arts organizations have canceled appearances, citing concerns that the nation’s premier performing arts venue is becoming politicized. Some say the Kennedy Center, once seen as neutral ground for artistic expression, is now being pulled into ideological battles.
What makes Glass’s decision especially powerful is the subject of the work itself. Abraham Lincoln is often invoked as a symbol of unity, democracy and moral leadership during national division. By withdrawing a symphony dedicated to Lincoln, Glass is signaling that the argument is no longer just about art, but about history, memory and who gets to define national values.
The Kennedy Center has pushed back against boycotts, saying the arts should remain separate from politics. But this moment raises a harder question. When leadership changes the identity of a cultural institution, can art truly remain untouched?
For audiences, this matters because institutions like the Kennedy Center help shape a country’s cultural legacy. When artists withdraw, it signals a deeper fracture between creative voices and power.
This story is still unfolding and its impact on American arts, free expression and cultural leadership is far from over. Stay with us as we continue to follow the fallout, the responses and what this moment means for the future of art on the world stage.
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