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.”
Philip Glass, the famous minimalist composer, has pulled the premiere of a new work at the Trump-Kennedy Center in protest of President Trump.
I am disappointed, but not surprised, by this news. As an industry, the arts are as woke as higher education, perhaps even more. I’m also torn, because I am a longtime fan of Glass and have even met him twice, both times at live performances.
His Songs From the Trilogy CD has been played countless times in my home, along with recordings of his best-known opera, Einstein on the Beach.
NBC News reports:
Composer Philip Glass withdraws ‘Lincoln’ symphony from the Kennedy Center
Composer Philip Glass announced Tuesday that he is withdrawing his symphony from the Kennedy Center, pointing to the arts center’s values and leadership.
“After thoughtful consideration, I have decided to withdraw my Symphony No. 15 ‘Lincoln’ from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,” Glass announced in a statement posted to X.
“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,” he continued. “Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”
Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said in a statement, “We have no place for politics in the arts, and those calling for boycotts based on politics are making the wrong decision.”
“We have not cancelled a single show,” Daravi continued. “Leftist activists are pushing artists to cancel but the public wants artists to perform and create — not cancel under pressure from political insiders that benefit from creating division.”
Jean Davidson, the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra, said in a statement that “we have great admiration for Philip Glass and were surprised to learn about his decision at the same time as the press.”
This is the statement Glass released on Twitter/X:
— Philip Glass (@philipglass) January 27, 2026
Here are some reactions:
The art world, across all fields, is completely dominated by Woke ideology. Philip Glass is virtue signaling to remain in the good graces of people who would happily destroy his career and legacy if he stepped out of bounds politically. He’s not brave. He’s a coward. https://t.co/SfszFWZHG8
— Joseph Massey (@jmasseypoet) January 27, 2026
Philip Glass doesn't think it is appropriate to commemorate the president who suspended habeas corpus and shut down the press during the normal administration of immigration laws https://t.co/Btkam0nuXN
— Kyle Beckley (@Kyle_Beckley) January 27, 2026
Won't perform a Symphony dedicated to Lincoln at the Federal Government's showhouse because he doesn't approve of aggressively using Federal power to put down rebellion by the states.
Interesting. https://t.co/w4bzmVUa1V
— Andrew Isker 🌳🪓 (@BonifaceOption) January 27, 2026
There are plenty of comments on Twitter/X from people saying that this is actually a blessing because they can’t stand Glass’s work. It is certainly an unmistakable sound. Most people know within moments whether or not they like it.
I’ll give you an example. This is from a series of dance pieces he composed. You’ll probably know within seconds if you’re entranced or repelled by it.
This is a piece from Einstein on the Beach. Note that this is not electronic music. It is being played on actual instruments.
I will probably continue to listen to his music, but as I said, I am disappointed.
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
Nobody cares. He is only hurting himself.
Glass’s “music” is noise.
The musical equivalent of Jackson Pollock.
I disagree. That “honor” falls to John Cage.
Sounds like Frank Zappa if Frank had had a lobotomy. Zappa’s music is outré but it least it’s interesting.
I kinda like Pollock’s manic abstraction energy.
Eine Kleine Scheissmusik.
“Philip Glass, the famous minimalist composer, has pulled the premiere of a new work at the Trump-Kennedy Center in protest of President Trump.”
Well, now he is extra minimalist.
This sounds like a win-win to me.
That’s what TikTok is for, Phil.
Who?
This.
You’re right, Mike.
I listened to 18 secs of your first clip and that was enough.
Me too! It was just awful, horrible noise, I couldn’t in the longest stretch, call it music!
I gave ot a little longer in the expectation that it would eventually go somewhere, but it never did.
Not sure how many people are aware that slot machine manufacturers carefully tune the ditties played by all their machines so they harmonize and don’t clash. Both these pieces reminded me of a casino floor — harmony without further point.
The equivalent of the infamous “banana duct taped to a wall” “art,” or that crucifix in a jar of urine level of artistic extiinction.
KenSen is getting a minimalist cover band version of Simon garfunkle classic.
He’s just whistlin’ Dixie.
Could. Not. Care. Less.
Zero. Fu*ks. Given.
His “Koyaanisqatsi” is on my Walkman.
That was good…..did anyone catch that? Can a Walkman hold 90 minutes?
I always go back to the epiphany I had years ago upon hearing that Meryl Streep testified before Congress about the use of a particular pesticide used by apple growers.
Why should I care about the opinions of an artist or actor? What gives their opinions special value?
One celebrity of the past was Mark Spitz, the one winning all those gold medals at the Olympics.
He was asked his opinion on some political matter. He replied something along the lines of he was an athlete and not about to give an opinion without the knowledge needed to comment.
He didn’t need to. Doctor Bronner was doing it for him!
Isn’t he the guy who nearly died after hitting his head on the dive platform one time?
Sounds like he had the wisdom to understand that his athletic prowess didn’t confer any expertise outside that field. So many people lack that basic humility and the wisdom that comes along with it.
I watched a really good youtube video about Socrates last night… this is really the fundamental idea that he died for… exposing this truth. He said that even people who are experts at DOING something most of the time don’t understand the WHY of it.
Spitz swam the freestyle – not a diver.
Perhaps if I had ever heard of this guy I could muster up the energy to give a shit.
The guy is getting absolutely bodied in the comments 🤣🤣🤣
Oh no. They might have to replace him with somebody who doesn’t write symphonies based upon weird atonality and off-putting dissonance that we have to pretend sounds good so that we can be invited to the dinner parties sophisticated music appreciation set.
So courageous! So stunning! So brave!
Not.
Just narcissistic, self-aggrandizing and feckless.
woke> the push to give people who have been given and given and given so much that they dont know any other way and dont care or need to as they have gained the keys to the C suite..whether by actual presence or by enrichment through the usd
Phew! That was a close one. Now the audience can go sip chardonnay and munch canapes to their heart’s content someplace else.
The author may appreciate an off beat composer, I and probably most people don’t like it. I have no issue with his branch of music. That’s his jam. Miss him at the Trump-Kennedy Center? No. Not at all. Self importance is a dangerous ego trait.
I will admit that I might be wrong about this, but it is my deepest feeling that the world will go on despite Glass’ announcement.
He and Stephen King should get a room.
Then Neil Young knocks on the door: “Someone ordered a pizza?”
Manhem ensues. Don’t miss it… this week on PornHub!
So he feels self-important enough to employ a stylized logo for his name?
What a pompous jerk. He’s the kind of guy who would look at the center’s leaking roof and proclaim it to be “art”.
It’s probably his “corporate name.”
The sort of thing “sovereign citizens” claim the government has slipped everybody, but narcissists like Glass go out of their way to get it for themselves.
He became famous for his music in the movie “essay” Koyaaanisqatsu back in the 80s, a weird look at the imbalance of life and nature. So yeah, a leaking roof is nature fighting back against the roof men built. Nonsense like that. Good riddance.
I think I have his “Music” on my cell phone as a ringtone because it is so bad it can’t be ignored and you must answer it to stop the noise!
So he’s the instrumental version of Yoko Ono?
The author say’s you’ll quickly know if you like Glass’s work when you hear it. Perhaps that’s true, but I’ve never known anyone who liked his work. Ever. And I’ve hung out around musicians for decades.
Send Weird Al to take his place.
Yes, that would be awesome and sold out in about an hour. No, he probably would not accept. Al has been very careful to stay out of politics, and if he had already been scheduled, I’m sure he’d perform as awesome as ever, but signing up right now would drag him into the muck, and nobody needs that.
leftists who live in glasses houses
shouldnt throw bricks
Since it is the peoples hall he is basically insulting all of us. Little kids never grow up. Oh well, the beauty of life is you will be replaced.
No worries. Put them on a blacklist. If you agree then refuse to perform then no further invitation to perform there again at any point and ineligible for any public honors of the Kennedy Center or the Federal gov’t for your career as a performer.
Doesn’t seem smart to alienate half of the population. I enjoy playing Metamorphosis on the piano, maybe he would ban that too. Tough.
Yawn. Who cares?
Not a fan. Unless you like bad phone ringtones.
Brain numbing music. Kennedy Center should be grateful.
I can’t even stand Stravinsky, so it’s no surprise that I don’t care for this guy either.
Really don’t like neoclassical (or later) music, except for a little Ravel.
His father should have pulled out.
I’m in my 50s, and I’ve never heard of this clown.