Carlos Simon’s Kennedy Center Residency Ends Amid Structural Turmoil

Carlos Simon concludes his residency at the Kennedy Center this season, ending a tenure that began during the institutional pivot of 2021. While Simon’s work is characterized by a sophisticated integration of gospel and neoclassical forms, his appointment was frequently framed by the Center’s administrative need for demographic representation rather than an exploration of the tessitura (the range within which most notes of a vocal or instrumental part fall; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessitura) of his specific sound world. The current administrative turmoil and impending renovations at the Center highlight the fragility of residencies built on social utility rather than aesthetic dialogue. As with the Liebermann years in Hamburg, a residency’s success is measured by the works it leaves in the repertoire; Simon’s exit suggests the institution was more interested in the optics of the appointment than the longevity of the music itself.