Philip Glass announced that his symphony will not proceed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, joining other artists who’ve pulled out of events.

Oscar nominee cancels Abraham Lincoln symphony at Kennedy Center over ‘direct conflict’ with Trump leadership

Philip Glass announced that his symphony will not proceed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, joining other artists who've pulled out of events.

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January 27, 2026 12:57 p.m. ET

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- Three-time Oscar-nominated composer and Kennedy Center honoree Philip Glass has canceled a symphony at the Kennedy Center.

- Glass cited a "direct conflict" with Donald Trump's appointed leadership at the center.

- The musician was nominated for his work on films *The Hours*, *Notes on a Scandal*, and *Kundun*.

Three-time Oscar-nominated composer and Kennedy Center honoree Philip Glass has canceled a planned Abraham Lincoln-inspired performance at the Kennedy Center, citing a "direct conflict" with President Donald Trump's leadership at the historic venue.

In a short statement shared Tuesday to social media, Glass, 88, announced that he would no longer world-premiere his new symphony *Lincoln* at the Washington performing arts center.

"After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 'Lincoln' from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts," Glass wrote on X, using the full name of the JFK memorial venue that Trump has attempted to change to bear his own in recent months.

Glass, nominated by the Academy for scoring *Notes on a Scandal*, *The Hours*, and *Kundun*, continued, "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. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership."

Per the Kennedy Center website, *Lincoln* was set to debut with a pair of performances on June 12 and June 13, with the synopsis calling it "a new work that brings one of America’s most iconic figures to life."

* *has reached out to representatives for Glass and the Kennedy Center for comment.

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Glass' decision comes after a slew of other artists have backed out of events at the Kennedy Center during Trump's second term in office, including Issa Rae, *Wicked* composer Stephen Schwartz, and musician Chuck Redd, who recently called off an annual Christmas Eve jazz concert that's occurred at the Kennedy Center for the last two decades.

Another jazz group, the Cookers, additionally backed out of a planned New Year's Eve concert at the Kennedy Center, all in the wake of controversy surrounding Trump and his administration.

Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett in 'Notes on a Scandal'.

Clive Coote/Fox Searchlight

Trump's move to rebrand the Kennedy Center venue drew intense criticism, particularly from Democratic Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, who even introduced a lawsuit against the board of trustees, citing law that prohibits anyone from turning the Kennedy Center into a memorial for a figure or organization other than JFK, who was assassinated in 1963.

JFK's niece, Kerry Kennedy, has also expressed her intention on removing Trump's name from the building — which was added to the exterior of the venue — after he completes his second term.

Read Glass' statement on canceling the premiere of *Lincoln* at the Kennedy Center above.**

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