The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC’s upcoming Kennedy Center performance with the National Symphony Orchestra has been cancelled.

The beloved choir group announced the devastating news in a statement via their social media channels.

“We are deeply disappointed with the news that our upcoming Pride performance with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has been cancelled,” they wrote.

The show, titled ‘A Peacock Among Pigeons,’ was meant to commemorate WorldPride 2025 – which is taking place in DC between 17 May and 8 June.

“The piece was intended to be a part of the Kennedy Center’s Pride celebration and we were very excited to be collaborating with the NSO as their guest chorus on the piece,” they continued.

“We believe in the power of music to educate and uplift, to foster love, understanding, and community, and we regret that this opportunity has been taken away.

“While we are saddened by the decision, we are committed to this work and to our mission of raising our voices for equality for all. We are grateful for those who have supported us, and we will continue to seek spaces where our voices, our stories, and our music can be heard.”

Towards the end of their statement, the group announced that they would be performing ‘A Peacock Among Pigeons’ during WorldPride 2025’s Choral Festival.

As of writing, the Kennedy Center has not released a statement about the cancellation.

However, the National Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Jean Davidson told NBC News that the decision to cancel the show stemmed from “financial and scheduling factors” and not the 47th US president’s recent takeover of the centre.

“Before the leadership transition at the Kennedy Center, we made the decision to postpone Peack Among Pigeons due to financial and scheduling factors,’ Davidson told the news outlet.

“We chose to replace it with The Wizard of Oz, another suitable program for World PRIDE participation.”

Davidson refrained from announcing any plans for a rescheduled show while speaking with the news outlet.

As previously mentioned, Trump recently made sweeping changes to the Kennedy Center, replacing 18 board of trustees members appointed by former president Joe Biden with loyalists that share his “golden age” vision.

Shortly after their arrival, the new board members terminated Deborah F Rutter as the centre’s president and elected Trump as chairman.

Trump’s abrasive takeover did not fare well with various creatives involved with the centre – like opera singer Renée Fleming and Bridgerton/Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes – who served as artistic advisor and treasurer, respectively.

“I’ve treasured the bi-partisan support for this institution as a beacon of America at our best. I hope the Kennedy Center continues to flourish and serve the passionate and diverse audience in our nation’s capital and across the country,” Fleming wrote in a statement.

In a statement to Deadline, a rep for Rhimes stated: “Please be advised that as of today, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center.”

Lastly, Insecure creator and Barbie star Issa Rae cancelled her upcoming sold-out show at the center, An Evening With Issa Rae.

“Unfortunately, due to what I believe to be an infringement on the values of an institution that has faithfully celebrated artists of all backgrounds through all mediums, I’ve decided to cancel my appearance at this venue,” she wrote on her Instagram story.

“All tickets will be refunded. Thank you so much for understanding, and I hope to see you soon. Love, Issa.”