Overview
- Fleck pulled out of three National Symphony Orchestra concerts set for Feb. 19, 21 and 22, where he was to appear for the world premiere program American Mosaic.
- The Kennedy Center updated the concert listing to note his withdrawal and said the program will now feature NSO principal clarinet Lin Ma performing Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto.
- He joins roughly a dozen artists who have canceled since the renaming, including Stephen Schwartz, jazz group the Cookers and dance company Doug Varone and Dancers, with some productions such as Hamilton also withdrawn.
- Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell publicly criticized Fleck’s decision on social media and has previously threatened legal damages over another cancellation, framing the withdrawals as politically motivated.
- Reports describe audience and revenue strain since the leadership changes and rebrand, including falling ticket sales and a record-low TV audience for the recent Kennedy Center Honors broadcast, as legal questions linger over whether Congress must approve any name change.