The Kennedy Center has certainly gone through its trials over the last year and a half. The name has changed, and then changed back again (for now), and funding is a bit hit and miss. The chairman of the board is also the sitting president of the United States, and that complicates things, too. This also means the National Symphony Orchestra is struggling.
The NSO has called the Kennedy Center home since the venue opened in 1971. That might be ending, according to former artistic director Ben Folds, who fans might also know because of his iconic songs as a solo artist and from his band, Ben Folds Five.
In a letter to supporters recently, Folds wrote, "Currently, there’s no announcement for programming for the NSO’s upcoming season. All other orchestras have announced theirs by now because planning is always about 18 months ahead of performances. The NSO doesn't even know if it has a home, given the previously announced two-year closure of the Kennedy Center. This is a very bad sign. Further, the tools for survival are entangled in the Kennedy Center's legal and financial troubles. Tools such as the NSO's endowment fund, which is tied to a bank note."
Ben Folds states the National Symphony Orchestra could be in real trouble
The National Symphony Orchestra began in 1931 and has, clearly, been home to some of the best chamber musicians in the world. It has been a symbol of artistic excellence, has remained non-partisan, and has continued creating sustained brilliance of classical music.
The NSO doesn't have to be tied to the Kennedy Center except for what Folds points out: The symphony's fate is tied to that of the Center's. Donald Trump took over the chairmanship after he was unhappy with some of the musical acts that had played at the Kennedy Center. He also, oddly, added his name to the Center until a judge changed that, at least temporarily.
The shame is that none of what the NSO does should be tied to the political views of others. It's about creating great music, and that, ideally, should not be restrained by any political stance. The NSO didn't have an issue until 2025, but that has dramatically changed.
The hope is that somehow the NSO survives, maybe at a different venue, and some wealthy donors get involved. Maybe the National Symphony Orchestra doesn't play the Kennedy Center for a few years, but keeping the organization alive should be a must for music lovers.
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