National Symphony Orchestra plays half-season in temporary venues after Kennedy Center closure

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts closed on September 15, leaving the National Symphony Orchestra without its primary performance home. The 95-year-old ensemble has performed in the Washington, D.C. complex since it opened in 1971. The closure followed months of declining ticket sales, public boycotts, and federal court battles over the addition of President Donald Trump's name to the building's exterior.

Trump assumed control of the center in early 2025 after removing board members and firing Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter. Music director Gianandrea Noseda, who has led the orchestra for nine years, described the news as 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 quickly secured six alternative venues in the greater D.C. area. This move forced a compressed timeline. Most symphonies announce their seasons in early spring, but the NSO waited for budget approval from the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. The new season was revealed in mid-August, just six weeks before the first performance. The opening concert took place on September 26, only 11 days after the center locked its doors.

The season opened at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. Noseda led the orchestra in a program featuring new works by Carlos Simon alongside pieces by Tchaikovsky and Respighi. Anne Midgette, a former classical music critic for The Washington Post, noted the bittersweet nature of the event. "It was so great to see them together, but so amazing that this major orchestra in a major city has to be performing outside of its hall," Midgette said.

Financial pressures are mounting. The Washington Post reported in August that ticket revenue is expected to drop by about half. Donations are down by a quarter, partly due to cuts in the Kennedy Center's development department. The orchestra is also missing key staff, including former executive director Jean Davidson, who left in March citing turmoil at the center.

Associate principal double bassist Rick Barber, a member of the NSO since 1995, said the musicians were stunned by the closure. "The months after that, there was definitely a lot of uncertainty. I would say, anxiety," Barber said. He believes the orchestra will not fold and remains focused on the music. "When I'm playing music, I don't think about those at all," Barber said.

Noseda extended his contract with the orchestra through 2031 rather than seeking a new position after Rutter's firing. "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 current season includes about half as many concerts as usual. The orchestra is testing audience loyalty across different venues. Midgette described the season as a test of public investment in the arts. "How many people really do care? How many people are vitally interested and invested in the orchestra?" Midgette asked. The NSO's fate is part of a wider trend of financial struggles for symphonies across the United States.

The orchestra's future location and timeline remain uncertain. The Kennedy Center's renovation plans are still pending. Until the board resolves the budget and the center reopens, the NSO will continue performing in its temporary venues. The next steps depend on the outcome of the ongoing legal and financial disputes surrounding the Kennedy Center.