Jean Davidson has stepped down as the executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra.
In an interview with The New York Times, Davidson cited the increasingly fraught environment at the Kennedy Center, home of the NSO, following Donald Trump’s takeover as the impetus for her decision. She pointed specifically to recent cancellations involving artists such as Philip Glass and Béla Fleck, as well as Trump’s abrupt decision to close the Kennedy Center for two years for renovations without advance notice.
“It’s no secret that this has been a really hard year,” Davidson told the Times. “So I started looking for a new opportunity several months ago.”
Gianandrea Noseda will continue leading the National Symphony Orchestra as its music director. Despite the change in leadership and the Kennedy Center’s impending closure, Davidson said she is confident that NSO will persevere longterm. However, “we need Washington — donors, audiences — to support the orchestra for it to survive,” she added.
Davidson is the latest high-profile figure to cut ties with the Kennedy Center after Trump assumed control of its board and began remaking the institution in his image. Other notable names to cancel engagements include a touring production of Hamilton, legendary composer Stephen Schwartz, and Grammy-winning musicians Renée Fleming and Rhiannon Giddens. Additionally, the Washington National Opera ended its relationship with the Kennedy Center after 55 years.
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