The National Symphony Orchestra launched its 96th season on Saturday with a performance at the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland, marking the beginning of a nomadic period as its longtime home, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, remains closed for renovations. The board of trustees announced the center’s closure in March amid declining ticket sales and legal disputes over adding former President Donald Trump’s name to the facility’s exterior. The venue officially shut its doors on September 15 due to safety concerns.
Despite the challenges, the orchestra delivered a spirited and focused concert, receiving an enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience. Gianandrea Noseda, the orchestra’s music director, described the transition as a positive opportunity to bring music directly to audiences across the Washington area. “My dream is that we will regain people coming to us and joining us to the concerts,” Noseda said prior to the performance.
The ensemble’s season will span six different venues as it adapts to a touring schedule during the Kennedy Center’s closure. For now, rehearsals continue within the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, though access to the building is limited to less prominent entrances. The move comes at a significant moment for the orchestra, which was set to celebrate its 40th anniversary as an affiliate of the Kennedy Center. The season opener featured the concert premiere of Carlos Simon’s “Monuments,” a composition with movements named after prominent Washington landmarks, including the White House, Jefferson Memorial, and the Kennedy Center itself.
Noseda curated a program blending personal and cultural connections, positioning Simon’s piece between ballet suites from Tchaikovsky’s "Swan Lake" and Respighi’s "La Boutique Fantasque." The performance reflected a range of influences linked to Noseda’s ties to Washington, his experience at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theater, and his Italian heritage. The orchestra displayed a rich sound and emerged with increased confidence as the concert progressed, demonstrating technical refinement and expressive nuance.
Simon’s “Monuments” was noted for its tonal brightness and eclectic incorporation of blues, jazz, and references to American composers like Aaron Copland and George Gershwin, evoking cinematic cityscapes. The composition’s brass section effectively conveyed a dynamic range from sharp and incisive to warm and majestic. Particularly poignant was Simon’s two-minute string tribute to the Kennedy Center, evoking the building’s intent as a memorial to John F. Kennedy and honoring the late president’s commitment to the arts.
Audience members expressed mixed emotions, reflecting on the orchestra’s uncertain future at its symbolic home. Andres Archila, whose father previously played in the orchestra, described the center’s closure as “heartbreaking.” The piece’s somber yet hopeful string passages resonated as an elegy to the institution’s enduring spirit, emphasizing that the heart of the Kennedy Center resides in its musicians, regardless of location.
The orchestra’s recent successful labor negotiations further bolstered morale as the ensemble embarks on this season of adaptation and outreach. Soloists including concertmaster Nurit Bar-Josef and cellist Raymond Tsai received particular praise for their expressive performances, underscoring the musicians’ commitment amid change. With the Kennedy Center’s future uncertain, the National Symphony Orchestra aims to maintain its connection to the community by bringing live performances directly to its audiences.