Béla Fleck Cancels Kennedy Center Show Amid Trump Renaming Row
Béla Fleck announced that he has withdrawn from performing at the John F. Kennedy Center, joining a list of artists who have refused to perform at the venue.
Renowned banjo player Béla Fleck has withdrawn from his upcoming performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, citing a growing sense of politics overshadowing the institution's mission. Fleck was scheduled to premiere his composition 'American Mosaic' with the National Symphony Orchestra.
The move comes as several artists have refused to perform at the Center following the addition of Donald Trump's name alongside John F. Kennedy's. Trump's name was added to the venue by the White House, which claimed it was to honor his 'unbelievable work'.
Fleck expressed his disappointment in a statement, saying, 'Performing at the Kennedy Center has become charged and political, where the focus should be on the music.' The Center has updated the concert listing, replacing Fleck with NSO Principal Clarinet Lin Ma performing Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto.
Fleck joins a growing list of artists who have canceled their appearances at the Center, including songwriter Stephen Schwartz and veteran jazz septet the Cookers. Schwartz stated that the Center 'no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be.'
The controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center's renaming has led to a series of high-profile cancellations, with many artists expressing their disapproval of the decision to honor Trump. The Center has faced backlash, including a potential $1M lawsuit from musician Chuck Redd, who canceled his show over the issue.
