NSO season cut in half

Ticket revenue for the National Symphony Orchestra is projected to drop by half this season, according to a report from The Washington Post in August. The 95-year-old ensemble lost its primary home when the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts closed its doors on Sept. 15. The closure followed months of falling attendance, boycotts, and a federal court battle over adding President Trump's name to the building's facade.

Trump assumed control of the center in early 2025 after removing board members and President Deborah Rutter. The NSO has performed at the Kennedy Center since it opened in 1971. Music director Gianandrea Noseda, an Italian conductor who has led the group for nine years, described the shutdown as a cold shower. He stated that the news was absolutely unexpected and left the group without a home.

The orchestra scrambled to secure six alternative venues in the greater Washington, D.C. region. The new season was announced in mid-August, only six weeks before the opening concert. This delay occurred because the NSO waited for budget approval from the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees. The opening concert took place on Sept. 26, just 11 days after the Kennedy Center locked its doors.

On opening night, Noseda and the musicians performed at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Md. The program featured new music by Carlos Simon alongside classics by Tchaikovsky and Respighi. Anne Midgette, a former classical music critic for The Washington Post, called the evening bittersweet. She noted that it was remarkable for a major orchestra to perform outside its home hall. She also described the Kennedy Center as a mess and expressed concern that the NSO season might not happen at all.

The financial strain is compounded by staffing losses. The orchestra is without most of its former staff, including executive director Jean Davidson. Davidson left her position in March, citing the turmoil at the Kennedy Center as the primary reason. Donations are expected to fall by a quarter due to cuts in the Kennedy Center's development department. The NSO will play about half as many concerts as it usually does.

Associate principal double bassist Rick Barber, a member of the NSO since 1995, said the musicians were stunned by the closure. He described the months following the announcement as filled with uncertainty and anxiety. Barber does not believe the orchestra will fold. He stated that when he plays music, he does not think about the political divisions in the nation.

Noseda extended his contract with the orchestra through 2031 after Rutter was fired. He said leaving would have been too easy and potentially a sign of cowardice. He believes that a music director must serve the orchestra, the music, and the community. The packed house in Bethesda roared with approval as Respighi's music capped off the opening night concert.

Symphonies across the country are facing financial struggles. Midgette noted that buying tickets and traveling to concerts is harder when gas and groceries are expensive. The Phoenix Symphony recently shut down, joining a list of struggling ensembles. It is unclear how long the NSO will remain on the road. The upcoming season will test whether audiences and donors remain invested in the orchestra's survival.