> At a Glance
> – Béla Fleck withdrew from three Kennedy Center concerts set for Feb. 19, 21, 22
> – The 18-time Grammy winner cited the venue becoming “charged and political”
> – Kennedy Center cites “personal issues” while president Richard Grenell attacks “woke mob”
> – Why it matters: The banjo virtuoso’s exit spotlights growing political tension at America’s National Cultural Center
Béla Fleck has pulled out of his upcoming National Symphony Orchestra appearances at Washington’s Kennedy Center, saying the stage “has become charged and political.” The move follows similar cancellations by Stephen Schwartz, Chuck Redd, and the Cookers.
The Announcement
In a Jan. 6 Instagram post, Fleck, 67, wrote:
> “I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music.”
He added he looks forward to playing with the orchestra “when we can together share and celebrate art.”
Talking to the New York Times the same day, Fleck elaborated:
> “It has become less and less a musically and artistically based situation and more of a highly politicized and divisive one. This pushes against the deepest motivations of why I want to be a musician.”
Program Changes
Fleck was scheduled to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue on banjo with the NSO. The revised billing:
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 21, 22 | Lin Ma, NSO principal clarinet, steps in with Copland’s Clarinet Concerto** |
| Remaining program | American Mosaic keeps the rest intact |
Political Fallout
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell responded on X:
> “You just made it political and caved to the woke mob who wants you to perform for only Lefties. The Trump Kennedy Center believes all people are welcome-Democrats and Republicans and people uninterested in politics.”
Fleck told the Times he faced a “no-win situation,” noting:
> “Not performing punishes the symphony for something they have nothing to do with, which is why it has taken me a while to decide.”
NSO executive director Jean Davidson said audiences “will miss him” and expressed hope “to welcome him back in the future.”
Key Takeaways
- Fleck’s exit marks the latest in a string of artist withdrawals from the venue
- The Kennedy Center publicly blames “personal issues,” but internal statements reveal political friction
- Richard Grenell’s leadership has drawn criticism for injecting partisan rhetoric into programming decisions
- Both the artist and orchestra say future collaborations remain possible once the climate “focuses on the music”
With February concerts weeks away, the spotlight shifts to how the institution balances artistic freedom and political perception.
