NSO cuts season in half after Kennedy Center closure

The National Symphony Orchestra is playing roughly half as many concerts this season as it did in previous years. This reduction follows the closure of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which forced the 95-year-old ensemble to find new homes for its performances in the Washington, D.C. area.

The Kennedy Center closed its doors on Sept. 15. The shutdown came after months of declining ticket sales, audience boycotts, and a federal court dispute over adding President Trump's name to the building's facade. Trump assumed control of the center in early 2025, following the dismissal of board members and Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter.

Since 1971, the NSO has performed in the Kennedy Center. Now, the musicians are acting as musical nomads. Music director Gianandrea Noseda, who has led the group for nine years, said the closure was a shock. "It was absolutely unexpected," Noseda said. "The news of the closing of the Kennedy Center came like a cold shower. And my first reaction was, 'What will we do now if we don't have our home?'"

The orchestra rushed to secure six alternative venues in the greater D.C. region. They also waited for budget approval from the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. This delay pushed the announcement of the new season to mid-August. That left only six weeks before the opening concert, which occurred just 11 days after the Kennedy Center locked its doors.

On Sept. 26, Noseda and the musicians opened the season at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Md. The program featured new works by Carlos Simon alongside pieces by Tchaikovsky and Respighi. Anne Midgette, a former classical music critic for The Washington Post, described the opening night as bittersweet. She noted that it was impressive for such a major orchestra to perform outside of its home hall.

Financial pressures are mounting. The Washington Post reported in August that ticket revenue is expected to fall by about 50 percent. Donations are projected to drop by a quarter. These losses stem partly from severe cuts to the Kennedy Center's development department. The orchestra has also lost most of its former staff, including executive director Jean Davidson. Davidson left her position in March, citing the turmoil at the center as the primary reason.

Associate principal double bassist Rick Barber, a member of the NSO since 1995, said the players were stunned by the closure. "And the months after that, there was definitely a lot of uncertainty, I would say, anxiety," Barber said. He believes the orchestra will survive. He stays focused on the music to manage the stress. "When I'm playing music, I don't think about those at all," Barber said.

Noseda extended his contract with the orchestra until 2031. He viewed leaving as too easy. "I thought that would have been a little bit too easy," Noseda said. "And may I use the word 'coward' to leave that situation. When you are a music director, you are a leader, of course. But you have to serve the orchestra, the music and the community."

The orchestra is testing how much audiences care about symphonic music in difficult economic times. Midgette called the season a real acid test for the group's identity. "How many people really do care?" she asked. "How many people are vitally interested and invested in the orchestra?" The NSO will continue playing in various halls across the region for the remainder of the season.

The future length of the orchestra's time on the road remains uncertain. The Kennedy Center's renovation plans are still being finalized. For now, the NSO is adapting to a reduced schedule and a fragmented venue arrangement while it seeks to retain its audience and donors.