Four-time Grammy Award-winning composer Philip Glass has withdrawn from a scheduled premiere at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C..

The withdrawal is the latest in a series of cancellations by high-profile artists scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center. Many of these cancellations were prompted by President Donald J. Trump's decision to rename the venue after himself in December 2025.

The premiere of Glass's Symphony No. 15, "Lincoln," was scheduled to take place in June 2026. The work was slated to be performed by conductor Karen Kamensek and the National Symphony Orchestra, for whom the piece was commissioned. The orchestra has been in residence at the Kennedy Center since 1971.

In a letter posted to social media, Glass wrote that he did not feel that the symphony, which is based on Abraham Lincoln's 1838 Lyceum Address, could be performed at the venue, given its current political climate.

“Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the symphony,” he said. "Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership."

Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's Vice President for Public Relations, criticized Glass's decision 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,” she wrote. “We have not cancelled a single show."

Since President Trump renamed the center, numerous artists, including Stephen Schwartz, Béla Fleck, and Renée Fleming, have cancelled their appearances at the Kennedy Center. Additionally, the Washington National Opera left the venue, which had been the company's home since 1971.