Philip Glass withdraws his ‘Lincoln’ symphony from the Kennedy Center, citing conflicting values

Philip Glass rehearses on stage during the 33nd Annual Tibet House U.S. Benefit Concert & Gala on Feb. 26, 2020, in New York City. (Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Tibet House via CNN Newsource)

Philip Glass has withdrawn his symphony based on Abraham Lincoln from the Kennedy Center, with the award-winning composer writing to the board of the arts institution that its values conflict with the work.

“Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony,” Glass wrote in the letter, which was shared with CNN. “Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”

The world premiere of Symphony No. 15 was scheduled at the Kennedy Center for June 12 and 13. The symphony was co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center and the National Symphony Orchestra, which was set to perform the piece, according to the event page on the center’s website.

Glass’s withdrawal follows a string of cancellations at the Kennedy Center after the board moved to change the arts institution’s name to recognize President Donald Trump. The facility has been renamed to “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

“We have no place for politics in the arts, and those calling for boycotts based on politics are making the wrong decision,” Roma Daravi, vice president of public relations at the center, said in a statement.

Jean Davidson, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, told CNN in a statement, “We have great admiration for Philip Glass and were surprised to learn about his decision at the same time as the press.”

Some artists who have pulled out of their performances at the center have directly pointed to the name change as the reason behind the cancellation.

Kristy Lee, a folk singer-songwriter, who last month canceled her January 14 show, said in a social media post, “When American history starts getting treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for somebody else’s ego, I can’t stand on that stage and sleep right at night.”

Since returning to the White House, Trump has dramatically reshaped the performing arts center, gutting the board of trustees and ousting its chairman. Soon after, the president was elected chair of the center.

Glass was among the Kennedy Center honorees recognized in 2018. Trump — then serving his first term — skipped the event.

But the president was center stage at the 2025 awards show, serving as its host as musicians George Strait, Gloria Gaynor and the band KISS were honored, along with actors Sylvester Stallone and Michael Crawford. He previously boasted that he personally rejected some honorees who he felt were too “woke.”

Kaanita Iyer, CNN