The executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), Jean Davidson, is leaving the Kennedy Center to head the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. Her departure is the latest in a series of exits since Donald Trump began asserting control over the Washington venue.
Davidson, who joined the Kennedy Center in 2023, previously served as executive director and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. In a statement, she said: “It has been a great honor to serve the NSO and to work alongside Gianandrea Noseda, Steven Reineke, the extraordinary musicians, and the dedicated staff and board.”
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Davidson acknowledged the challenges of staying, citing “external forces that are at work that are just so far beyond my control.” Trump has made the Kennedy Center a target in his campaign against “woke” culture, ousting its previous leadership and installing a hand-picked board that voted to rename it the Trump Kennedy Center—a change scholars and lawmakers say requires congressional approval.
Several artists, including Renée Fleming, Philip Glass, and Bela Fleck, have cancelled performances, and the Washington National Opera ended its decades-long residency. Last month, Trump announced plans to close the centre this summer for two years of construction.
Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center’s president, praised Davidson’s efforts, stating: “I have enjoyed working with Jean to cultivate new donors and patrons while cleaning up the financial mess at the centre.” Davidson will succeed Robert van Leer at the Wallis, who left to join the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
