Philip Glass withdrew his “Lincoln” symphony composition from the Kennedy Center Tuesday, citing direct conflict with the institution’s values under President Donald Trump.
“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 in a statement 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. Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”
— Philip Glass (@philipglass) January 27, 2026
Glass is the latest in a slew of artists, who have pulled their projects from the newly named Trump Kennedy Center. Other artists include Issa Rae, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton,” Renee Fleming, Stephen Schwartz, The Washington National Opera, Bela Fleck, jazz ensemble The Cookers, Billy Hart, Doug Varone and Dancers, Chuck Redd and singer Kristy Lee have all canceled shows at the D.C. arts institution in recent weeks.
This December Trump put his name on the exterior of the arts venue, initially formed to memorialize the life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy after his assassination. Trump also named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center after restructuring the Board with his supporters.
Symphony No. 15 was set to have its world premiere at the Kennedy Center in June. His 40-minute orchestral piece features text from Abraham Lincoln. The eight-part symphony includes sections titled Lyceum Address, Autobiography, Slavery, The End of the War and Farewell Address.
Glass noted that the values of the organization with Trump at the helm directly conflict with the message of his symphony.
The 88-year-old musician and composer has a long history with the arts institution, receiving a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2018. His works include 14 symphonies, 15 operas, 12 concertos and many film scores, among other projects.
He received three Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score for Martin Scorsese’s “Kundun” (1997), Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours” (2002) and Richard Eyre’s “Notes on a Scandal” (2006). His other film scoring credits include “The Truman Show,” “The Illusionist,” “Candyman,” “The Thin Blue Line” and “Hamburger Hill.”
His operas include “Einstein on the Beach” (1976), “Satyagraha” (1980), “Akhnaten” (1983), “The Voyage” (1992) and “The Perfect American” (2013).
