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BumRushDaShow

(160,061 posts)
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 05:49 AM Friday

Jazz head at Kennedy Center is the latest firing at the beleaguered arts institution

Source: NPR

September 11, 2025 7:12 PM ET


The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has fired another staffer: Kevin Struthers, a senior director of music programming who had been at the D.C. arts institution for 30 years. Struthers confirmed his termination to NPR on Thursday.

His dismissal is the latest upset in a line of firings and resignations at the Kennedy Center since President Trump became its chair in February and appointed Richard Grennell its new president. The Kennedy Center and NPR co-present the annual concert A Jazz Piano Christmas.

Their firings were first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.

Struthers had been the administrative director of the Kennedy Center's jazz programming. Previously, the Kennedy Center had been celebrated for inviting a vibrant roster of established and emerging jazz artists. The only mainstage jazz performance still on the Kennedy Center's schedule is an October performance by The Glenn Miller Orchestra, a group which began recording in 1939.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/09/11/nx-s1-5538440/jazz-director-kennedy-center-trump

20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Jazz head at Kennedy Center is the latest firing at the beleaguered arts institution (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Friday OP
White supremacists don't like jazz. RandySF Friday #1
Well, they like Glenn Miller... Pinback Friday #10
Nazis banned it as degenerate music DBoon Friday #11
Learn how to clap on one and three. forgotmylogin Friday #13
This administration is failing in every way. Firing a bunch of people is not success. Walleye Friday #2
"Make the Federal Govt small enough to drown in a bathtub" maxsolomon Friday #14
Anything that makes American great, and the people love, respect, honor, must be destroyed. Irish_Dem Friday #3
Coming soon....A Kid Rock Christmas Bengus81 Friday #4
We don't need no stinking un-American stuff like that jazz. Is that about right? LiberalArkie Friday #5
Except that jazz is home-grown American music, but other than that, yes catrose Friday #18
Yea. Absolutely correct. LiberalArkie Saturday #19
Nazi Punk coming soon Farmer-Rick Friday #6
Kennedy Center will look like Hee Haw when the traitor and his lackeys are done Mysterian Friday #7
Might as well just close the place for the next 3 years mdbl Friday #8
Maybe Kid Rock is available? IronLionZion Friday #9
Pat Metheny Gave My Wife & I Free Tickets to the 2019 Jazz Fest at the Kennedy Center Performance roscoeroscoe Friday #12
"And I'm PROUD to be an Amurrkkkan, where, at least I KNOW I'm White...." Montauk6 Friday #15
Because jazz BLACK PEOPLE New Breed Leader Friday #16
Hey you on the other side of the state BumRushDaShow Friday #17
Jazz an American art form bmichaelh Saturday #20

Pinback

(13,386 posts)
10. Well, they like Glenn Miller...
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:23 AM
Friday

I imagine a lot of them also like Kenny G.

True confession: I happen to like some of Glenn Miller’s music myself, but the Venn diagram of music liked by me and the average Republican is but a sliver.

DBoon

(24,282 posts)
11. Nazis banned it as degenerate music
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 10:25 AM
Friday

Last edited Fri Sep 12, 2025, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)



Early version of great replacement theory - note the six pointed star on the horrible caricature of an African musician

maxsolomon

(37,349 posts)
14. "Make the Federal Govt small enough to drown in a bathtub"
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 05:00 PM
Friday

-Grover Norquist

That's what they're up to.

Irish_Dem

(74,728 posts)
3. Anything that makes American great, and the people love, respect, honor, must be destroyed.
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 06:22 AM
Friday

Our enemies are thrilled.

Farmer-Rick

(12,072 posts)
6. Nazi Punk coming soon
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:22 AM
Friday

To a once admired cultural center. They'll hang the swastika flag out front with giant portraits of pedo Trump and Hitler.

Mysterian

(5,924 posts)
7. Kennedy Center will look like Hee Haw when the traitor and his lackeys are done
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:41 AM
Friday

Wait till they find out banjos were invented by black people.

IronLionZion

(49,889 posts)
9. Maybe Kid Rock is available?
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 09:54 AM
Friday

Because if someone has been doing the job for 30 years, they are probably unqualified.

They fired the woman in charge of the free Millennium Stage too because anything free is socialism.

I've enjoyed many good jazz concerts at the Kennedy Center so am disappointed to see it gone. I went to one there recently and there was what looked like MAGA prom. It was an event for conservative Gen Z for Jesus put on by the Christian Broadcasting Network.

roscoeroscoe

(1,774 posts)
12. Pat Metheny Gave My Wife & I Free Tickets to the 2019 Jazz Fest at the Kennedy Center Performance
Fri Sep 12, 2025, 11:35 AM
Friday

I will always count myself as blessed for a few things, that was one. Pat sets aside tickets for military, so we had a chance to go. We were so proud, thrilled to be there. It was a superb show. Lots of community spirit and pride. Yes, he played 'This is Not America,' which I can't help but hear playing in my head these days.

I remember seeing both 'Blues at the White House' and the jazz show while President Obama was in office, on PBS. Never forget what our standard is - we will see it again.

bmichaelh

(942 posts)
20. Jazz an American art form
Sat Sep 13, 2025, 07:21 AM
Saturday

Trump clams he wants to make this country great again.

But he does things that is the exact opposite.

One could make a long list.

Jazz is recognized as a genuine American art form.

One sees the influence of jazz in movie soundtracks and also in classical music.

Classical music composers used it like Shostakovich, Ravel and Leonard Bernstein.

BTW, I do not give much weight to Trump's saying.
It was said on The Simpsons, first.


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