Philip Glass Withdraws Lincoln Symphony from Kennedy Center in Protest
In a move echoing Gandhian principles of nonviolent resistance, celebrated American composer and noted Indophile Philip Glass has withdrawn the world premiere of his Symphony No 15, “Lincoln,” from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The decision comes as a direct response to the institution's current direction under former President Donald Trump, whose name now adorns the center's façade.
Artistic Values in Conflict with Political Alignment
Glass announced this week that the Kennedy Center's present leadership fundamentally conflicts with the values his symphony seeks to uphold. “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 wrote on social media. The composer emphasized feeling “an obligation” to withdraw the work under these circumstances.
Scheduled for June performances, Lincoln was originally co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center and the National Symphony Orchestra. The symphony incorporates texts from Lincoln's speeches and writings, reflecting themes of unity, democracy, and moral purpose that Glass believes are incompatible with the center's current political alignment.
Growing Boycott Among Cultural Figures
Glass's withdrawal represents part of a broader artistic boycott that has seen more than a dozen prominent artists and cultural organizations distance themselves from the Kennedy Center. This exodus began after Trump assumed control of the center's board and controversially renamed it the “Donald J Trump and John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The list of those who have canceled engagements or performances includes:
- Soprano Renee Fleming
- Jazz virtuoso Bela Fleck
- Television creator Issa Rae
- Broadway's Hamilton production
- Washington National Opera (relocating after 50+ years)
- Longtime jazz artist and former Christmas Jazz Jam host
All have cited discomfort with the center's new political direction, creating what many describe as a crisis for the institution's iconic reputation.
Indian Connections to the Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center has maintained significant ties to Indian arts over the years, hosting numerous celebrated performers including:
- Ustad Zakir Hussain
- Pandit Jasraj
- Akram Khan
- Alarmel Valli
- Madhavi Mudgal
- Shanthala Shivalingappa
In 2011, the center presented Maximum India, a major celebration of Indian arts featuring performances by violinist L Subramaniam, Kailash Kher, and Raghu Dixit. Additionally, the institution hosts an annual series called “District of Raga” on the Millennium Stage, highlighting both local and visiting Indian classical musicians throughout the year.
Glass's Deep Indian Influences
Philip Glass's connection to Indian music and philosophy extends beyond mere artistic appreciation—it forms the foundation of his worldview. His transformative encounter with Indian classical music began in the mid-1960s when he transcribed sitar maestro Ravi Shankar's music into Western notation while in Paris.
This experience revolutionized his musical thinking and helped birth his signature minimalist style, which incorporates additive rhythmic structures learned from Indian tradition. Their later collaboration on the album Passages represented a rare exchange between Western and Indian musical masters.
Glass's 1980 opera Satyagraha—sung in Sanskrit and built around texts from the Bhagavad Gita—remains one of the most profound bridges between Indian philosophical thought and Western classical music. His current protest action against the Kennedy Center resonates with the same principles of ethical resistance explored in that landmark work.
Broader Implications for Cultural Institutions
Glass's decision represents more than a career move—it's an expression of artistic integrity asserting that music, like satyagraha itself, can embody ethical resistance. This protest occurs against a backdrop of broader unease in the arts community regarding the intersection of politics and cultural institutions.
Critics argue that Trump's leadership and rebranding have politicized what was long considered a nonpartisan cultural institution, undermining its mission to celebrate artistic expression across ideological and national lines. The situation reflects growing concerns about cultural spaces becoming battlegrounds for political ideologies, with many artists feeling compelled to take stands on ethical grounds.
As cultural institutions worldwide navigate increasingly polarized environments, Glass's principled withdrawal from the Kennedy Center may signal a new era where artists more actively assert their values in institutional relationships, potentially reshaping how cultural organizations maintain their artistic missions amid political pressures.
