Why did Béla Fleck withdraw from Kennedy Center show? Musician makes major announcement, ‘Performing there has become…’

Béla Fleck announced that he has withdrawn from performing at the John F. Kennedy Center, joining a list of artists who have refused to perform at the venue.

Published on: Jan 7, 2026, 13:47:28 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Béla Fleck has announced that he has withdrawn from performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. A growing list of artists have refused to perform at the Center in the wake of Donald Trump’s name being added to the venue.

Why did Béla Fleck withdraw from Kennedy Center show? Musician makes major announcement (Béla Fleck/Facebook)

The banjo player was scheduled to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra on February 19, 21 and 22 for the world premiere of ‘American Mosaic,’ which is described on the Center’s website as “a true celebration of American music.”

“I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music,” Fleck wrote on X.

“I look forward to playing with the NSO another time in the future when we can together share and celebrate art,” he added.

The Center has also updated the listing for the concerts with a note that acknowledges Fleck’s decision not to perform. “Due to personal issues Béla Fleck regrettably has to withdraw from his performances with the National Symphony Orchestra on February 19, 21 & 22, 2026. American Mosaic will now feature NSO Principal Clarinet Lin Ma performing Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto. The rest of the program will remain the same,” reads the note.

Béla Fleck joins other artists refusing to perform at the Kennedy Center

Fleck is one of many other artists who have recently canceled their appearance at the Kennedy Center. Some of them withdrew after Trump’s name was added alongside John F. Kennedy’s at the venue.

Among those who have decided not to perform at the Center is songwriter Stephen Schwartz, who said last week that “it no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be” and that “there’s no way I would set foot in it now.”

Veteran jazz septet the Cookers and dance troupe Dog Varone and Dancers also canceled their performances.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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