Grammy-nominated trumpeter Wayne Tucker is the latest artist to cancel his performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, following the board’s decision to add President Donald Trump’s name to the nation’s premier cultural center.
“We have already been in touch with the Kennedy Center about cancellation,” the musician said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg. He was scheduled to perform on Jan. 22.
Tucker joins other artists in boycotting the rebranded center, including vibraphonist and drummer Chuck Redd and jazz combo the Cookers, who were scheduled for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve shows respectively. A number of performers have chosen to keep their appearances at the iconic performing arts hub.
Trump moved early in his second term to reshape the center, installing new board members who in turn replaced longtime staffers. The changes have created a dilemma for artists, some of whom have felt they need to take a stand, while others are continuing to play.
“We remain committed to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them,” the Cookers wrote on their website.
Actress Issa Rae and opera singer Renee Fleming were among those that canceled shows or resigned from advisory roles immediately after Trump was named chairman of the facility in February.
“Every artist canceling has done so because of their left wing politics, refusing to perform for people who don’t think like they do,” a spokesperson for the center said in response to questions from Bloomberg.
Artist bookings for next year are continuing, the spokesperson said, citing recently scheduled events such as the Vienna Philharmonic and a new rooftop jazz speakeasy.
“We are right on track and have plenty of artists who want to play the Trump Kennedy Center,” the spokesperson said. “We have made clear that everyone is welcome.”
Charitable contributions have not been impacted by the cancellations, the center said.
“We raised more than $130 million so far this year because donors and corporate sponsors are very happy to see commonsense programming being booked,” the spokesperson said.
The center plans to sue Redd for canceling his show, NPR reported.
Contracts with artists generally have some consequences for cancellation, but the venue’s compensation is often limited, according to Howard King, a music industry attorney in Los Angeles.
Composer Hee Yun Kim said in an emailed response to Bloomberg that she’s continuing with a Jan. 10 performance of her piece Calling of the Whales, saying that while she respects fellow musicians’ “deeply personal and principled decisions,” the Kennedy Center “remains a vital public platform.”
Banjo player Randy Barrett echoed that sentiment in a statement to Bloomberg, saying that while he is “deeply troubled by the politicization” of the center, “I feel our tribalized country needs more music and art, not less. It’s one of the few things that can bring us together.”
