In February 2025, Ben Folds resigned as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra following Donald Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center. The situation deteriorated throughout the year with the historic performing arts institution being renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center. Following public backlash and a federal judge’s order to remove Trump’s name from the building, Ben Folds has shared an open letter addressing the future of the National Symphony Orchestra.
In the letter, the singer-songwriter calls for “an outpouring of public support and love for our nation’s symphony orchestra,” noting that while the Kennedy Center endures, the National Symphony Orchestra faces existential threats. Here is the full text of his statement:
As many may know, I served nearly a decade at the Kennedy Center as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra. Although I resigned in February 2025, I remain in contact with colleagues who stayed. I wish to draw attention to an important aspect that has been overshadowed amid the larger Kennedy Center controversy.
• The National Symphony Orchestra faces a critical existential crisis.
• No strategic plan or solution currently exists to secure its future.
• Public support could prove decisive in ensuring its survival.
Notably, the NSO has yet to announce its programming for the upcoming season. Other orchestras have already revealed their schedules, as planning typically occurs 18 months before performances. Moreover, the NSO remains uncertain about its future home, given the previously announced two-year closure of the Kennedy Center. This uncertainty is particularly alarming. The organization’s survival mechanisms have become entangled in the Kennedy Center’s legal and financial complications, including its endowment fund which is tied to bank obligations.
While we celebrate the recent federal court ruling that removed the unauthorized addition of Trump’s name to the building and restored political independence to the Kennedy Center, this is not the time for complacency. The restoration process will undoubtedly be lengthy and complex.
Unlike the Kennedy Center itself, the NSO cannot afford delays. The orchestra has been suffocated by financial turmoil resulting from the presidential takeover.
What actions can concerned individuals take at this moment?
While the following represents my personal perspective, I believe these steps could make a meaningful difference.
First:
Consider following the important Instagram account: @nso_musicians
To lovers of orchestral music and the arts: This is the moment for an extraordinary outpouring of public support and love for our national symphony orchestra. Whether you have had the privilege of attending their performances or not, the existence of a National Symphony represents a cultural gift, and we are fortunate to possess one of the world’s finest ensembles. Despite facing undignified partisan conflict, declining audiences, and staff reductions, the musicians have continued to perform with dedication. Now, we can demonstrate our solidarity by following them publicly, showing the world that we stand behind them. Comment openly. Contact them personally. They find themselves in an extremely challenging situation and should not feel isolated.
To journalists: Please include coverage of the NSO in your reporting. While the removal of Trump’s name dominates attention, the building itself is likely to survive and the institution will eventually recover. However, dispersing NSO’s 96 talented musicians and rendering them unemployed would result in losing something irreplaceable.
To donors: As the situation develops, the NSO will likely require substantial support to rebuild its operations. Currently, the orchestra exists in a state of uncertainty, but maintaining communication and offering assistance could prove invaluable.
To citizens: Contact your congressional representatives to demand safeguards against similar political interference occurring again at the Kennedy Center or any other federal arts institution. We must institutionalize independence for the arts from political influence to rebuild trust—an environment where artists and audiences from all backgrounds can exchange ideas and experiences without partisan tension. Additionally, we should urge Congress and the Kennedy Center Board to establish requirements that future directors possess genuine arts administration expertise. Recent events have demonstrated the consequences of appointing individuals lacking proper industry experience who engage in conflicts with artists whose work displeases them or the administration. Such approaches drive away both audiences and artists. The Kennedy Center requires specialized leadership, not simplistic commercial management.
A year after departing from the Kennedy Center, the necessity of my resignation remains painful. During Trump’s first term, he generally avoided interference in Kennedy Center operations, allowing board appointees to collaborate cooperatively for the institution’s benefit in a politically neutral environment. This approach changed significantly after his return to office. Any artist associated with the newly politicized Kennedy Center risked becoming a political pawn, implicitly endorsing presidential policies through mere association. This was unacceptable from my perspective regardless of political affiliation. My curatorial role created an ethical dilemma: How could I invite artists to perform in an environment where they might face attack from either the right or left for perceived political alignment?
The members of the NSO occupied a uniquely difficult position. Unlike artists who could resign, they faced potential unemployment. They maintained their political neutrality while continuing to perform under exceptionally challenging circumstances. The National Opera chose a different path by departing from the Center, though this decision has presented its own complications.
For years, I have maintained that symphony orchestras represent essential symbols of civilization. The collaborative effort required for orchestral performance mirrors our collective aspiration to work together for the greater good. Each performance demonstrates this ideal. These institutions serve as important cultural indicators, and when symphonies face decline, it serves as an alarm bell regarding the health of our broader society. I have shared this perspective from stages across the country with numerous orchestras. While audiences may have grown weary of this message, the current threat is real and immediate: our National Symphony Orchestra requires our support. As the politicization of the Kennedy Center continues to deter audiences and performers, our support mechanisms become more limited. Nevertheless, we can demonstrate our readiness and commitment to help. Even amid legal complexities, we can ensure they feel supported.
Otherwise, we face the prospect of a Western democracy without a National Symphony Orchestra—an unacceptable reality.
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