Uplifting the Artist
“I see of little more importance to the future of our country and our civilization than the full recognition of the place of the artist.”
—John F. Kennedy
Composer-in-Residence: Carlos Simon
Composer and arranger Carlos Simon joins the Kennedy Center in 2021–2022 as its new Composer-in-Residence. During his three-year residency, Simon will compose and present music across artistic genres, act as the Kennedy Center’s leading ambassador for new music, and participate in ongoing Kennedy Center education, social impact, community engagement, and major institutional initiatives. To celebrate his appointment, the NSO recorded a concert of Simon’s works, now available on the Center’s Digital Stage+ platform. The Orchestra will also play his Tales - A Folklore Symphony, March 3-5, 2022. Together with Kennedy Center Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact Marc Bamuthi Joseph, he has composed the opera it all falls down as part of Written in Stone for Washington National Opera, making its world premiere March 5-25, 2022.
Composer-in-Residence: Carlos Simon
Composer and arranger Carlos Simon joins the Kennedy Center in 2021–2022 as its new Composer-in-Residence. During his three-year residency, Simon will compose and present music across artistic genres, act as the Kennedy Center’s leading ambassador for new music, and participate in ongoing Kennedy Center education, social impact, community engagement, and major institutional initiatives. To celebrate his appointment, the NSO recorded a concert of Simon’s works, now available on the Center’s Digital Stage+ platform. The Orchestra will also play his Tales - A Folklore Symphony, March 3-5, 2022. Together with Kennedy Center Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact Marc Bamuthi Joseph, he has composed the opera it all falls down as part of Written in Stone for Washington National Opera, making its world premiere March 5-25, 2022.
Education Artist-in-Residence: Jacqueline Woodson
Beginning in January 2022, Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the Newbery Honor, National Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award, and MacArthur “Genius” Grant, will be the Kennedy Center’s next Education Artist-in-Residence. An acclaimed author of books for children, adolescents, and adults, Woodson’s residency will include both on and off-stage programming across genres, forms, and spaces, and be seen both locally and nationally, including staged adaptations of her books The Other Side, April 21–30, 2022, in a staged in a co-commission with HopeBoykinDance; and Show Way The Musical, May 13–29, 2022, as a book in concert with new music by Tyrone L. Robinson.
For the Culture Artist Residency: The Roots
The For the Culture Artist Residency, a new Kennedy Center initiative, celebrates one of the core tenets of the Center’s Hip Hop Culture Program—celebrating the multi-hyphenate. For the inaugural residency, one of Hip Hop’s vital cultural leaders and most respected acts, four-time Grammy Award–winning band, The Roots, will explore the full range of their creative expression. The two-year residency will include the presentation of work, curatorial endeavors, activations, and civic engagement highlighting the legendary crew and its joint front men: acclaimed emcee, writer, actor, and artist Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and award-winning drummer, DJ, producer, director, journalist, and best-selling author Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Upcoming events include Questlove: MUSIC IS HISTORY on May 14, 2022, and The Roots on May 22, 2022.
For the Culture Artist Residency: The Roots
The For the Culture Artist Residency, a new Kennedy Center initiative, celebrates one of the core tenets of the Center’s Hip Hop Culture Program—celebrating the multi-hyphenate. For the inaugural residency, one of Hip Hop’s vital cultural leaders and most respected acts, four-time Grammy Award–winning band, The Roots, will explore the full range of their creative expression. The two-year residency will include the presentation of work, curatorial endeavors, activations, and civic engagement highlighting the legendary crew and its joint front men: acclaimed emcee, writer, actor, and artist Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and award-winning drummer, DJ, producer, director, journalist, and best-selling author Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Upcoming events include Questlove: MUSIC IS HISTORY on May 14, 2022, and The Roots on May 22, 2022.
Cultural Center Quote
²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp is the National Cultural Center and a beacon for the performing arts across the country and around the world.
Sponsors
Thank you to the following Sponsors
Boeing
The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives
The Roger and Victoria Sant Trust
Fred Eychaner Fund
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
The Ford Foundation
David C. Frederick and Sophia Lynn
The Orlebeke Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Microsoft Corporation
The Buffy and William Cafritz Foundation
The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein
The Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation
The National Committee for the Performing Arts
Discover India Initiatives
The Travelers Company, Inc
David M. Rubenstein
Cornerstone of the Reach
Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support of programming in our 50th anniversary season.