International Pride Orchestra 2024 Photo by Jonathan Pellow.
In Wednesday’s (2/25) WUSA 9 (Washington, D.C.), Alanea Cremen writes, “The International Pride Orchestra (IPO) announced Monday that the Pride Celebration Concert will now take place at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, after the IPO was allegedly disinvited from the Kennedy Center. The San Francisco-based orchestra includes 80 queer and ally musicians hailing from more than 32 states … Earlier this month, President Trump announced plans to fire Kennedy Center board members and name himself chairman instead. Trump said in a post on his social network Truth Social that the Kennedy Center … featured drag shows that he claims were targeting American youth…. ‘Sadly, to read something like this from the present President of the United States is … profoundly un-American and therefore disheartening. His actions further embolden us in our purpose,’ said IPO board member and conductor Christine Brandes…. Some other performers have voluntarily pulled out of committed [Kennedy Center] appearances, in addition to those whose shows have been canceled…. IPO said in a release that after weeks of negotiations and having been invited to be part of WorldPride and Capital Pride Alliance events, [IPO Founding Artistic Director Michael] Roest received an email refusing to move forward with a contract … The Kennedy Center told WUSA9 it has no formal statement on IPO no longer performing at the center.”
