Kennedy Center loses Yo-Yo Ma to alternative venues after Trump takeover: report

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I guess that the Kennedy Center will have to be happy with performances of Kid Rock

The hits keep coming for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, more commonly known as the Kennedy Center, as Donald Trump's stewardship has driven away more acts.

— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2025-05-23T19:00:19Z

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-yo-yo-ma-kennedy-center

The hits keep coming for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, more commonly known as the Kennedy Center, as Donald Trump's stewardship has driven away more acts.

Since the president supplanted former Board Chair David M. Rubenstein with himself, and tapped MAGA ally Richard Grenell to oversee operations, the world famous venue has seen multiple acts cancel and ticket sales plummet after Trump made his case to rid the center of "woke" acts.

Adding to the center losing a production of the highly-popular musical "Hamilton," notable classical musician and 2011 Kennedy Center Honoree Yo-Yo Ma will be taking his cello to a different venue this year......

According to a report from the Washingtonian, booking powerhouse Washington Performing Arts has parted ways with the Kennedy Center this season.

After stating the organization "will not utilize The Kennedy Center,” a spokesperson explained their intention is to "thoughtfully match artists and their work with venues that best serve the art, the audience, and the moment“ and then added, "we assessed the variety of artists and performances we have in this upcoming season and decided it was best to explore new spaces that offer fresh possibilities.”

[TnDem]

1. OK

Without googling this person, I have never heard of him/her

[SharonClark]

5. Yo-Yo Ma is considered one of the greatest

and innovative cellists in the world.

I’m curious. Why would you comment about a person that you admittedly, never heard of?

[TnDem]

8. Because

I have never heard of him...

Not that I follow cellists that closely, or that genre of music whatsoever.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Whiskey Pete on bongoes

It'll be loud.

[walkingman]

3. Conservatives are hell-bent on destroying decades of progress

we have made in America. Their attacks on education, the arts, healthcare, and our economy are based on an ideology that embraces a political strategy aimed at nationalism, fascism, white Christianity, homophobia, and xenophobia.

It is shameful, and corrupt and I'm not sure that our court system can or will be able to see it. But what is clear is that we are a declining nation which make our lives less safe and more venerable to becoming an Autocracy. Once that happens, history shows it is very hard to reverse.

I fear for my children and grandchildren.

[Irish_Dem]

7. Total destruction of US history, society, culture, arts, medicine, science, education, economy, democracy, rule of law.

And the US constitution.

They started a US civil war pitting Americans against Americans.
The MAGA cult hates their fellow Americans, the country and democracy.

The GOP wants total permanent power and access to all US assets.
They had to destroy the country to get it.

[Ilsa]

4. Ironically, I bet some of the possible new venues will

be large churches or cathedrals. That would be a huge slap in Hegseth's and others' faces.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. To be fair, the cello is fairly useless ...

... in the genre of country or country-rock. So it really doesn't fit into the new Kennedy Center for Performing Opry.

[Conjuay]

11. Rhiannon Giddens might disagree. N/T

[hildegaard28]

9. Nobody

Of any substance likes or wants anything to do with Trump. Trump only attracts trash, because he is the king of the trash.

[Samael13]

10. I hear they just booked a replacement

Its kid rock, ted Nugent, and the dude from staind playing their one hit song over and over

[Cha]

12. Yeah! My quesiton was.. Who's Staying?

TY & Yo Yo Ma, LMPV

[Blue Owl]

13. Thank you Yo Yo Ma...

And FUCK Donald Dump, that artless piece of trash.