Singer-songwriter-pianist Ben Folds, who was an artistic advisor to the NSO for nearly a decade, has written an impassioned letter detailing the orchestra’s plight and how the public can help. It appears in full below.
Hi all.
As you might know, I spent nearly a decade at the Kennedy Center as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra. I resigned in February 2025, but I stay in contact with my friends who remained. And I’d like to draw attention to something that has flown under the radar as the drama surrounding the Kennedy Center unfolds. ⁃ Our National Symphony Orchestra is in real trouble – it may not survive. ⁃ There’s currently no plan or solution in sight to save the organization. ⁃ The public can turn the tide with overwhelming support.Currently there’s no announcement for programming for the NSO’s upcoming season. All other orchestras have announced theirs by now because planning is always about18 months ahead of performances. The NSO doesn’t even know if it has a home, given the previously announced two-year closure of the Kennedy Center. This is a very bad sign. Further, the tools for survival are entangled in the Kennedy Center’s legal and financial troubles. Tools such as the NSO’s endowment fund which is tied to a bank note.
