Philip Glass pulled his new symphony in protest from the beleaguered Kennedy Center. Now, the acclaimed Baltimore-born composer is bringing the work home.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will perform the Maryland debut of Glass’ Symphony No. 15, “Lincoln,” on June 4 and June 6, 2027, at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The orchestra, which announced its next season on Tuesday, will also perform the piece on June 5, 2027, at its sister venue, the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

In January, the 89-year-old Glass said he would no longer premiere the symphony, based on Abraham Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Address against pro-slavery mob violence, at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, which has become the turbulent epicenter of President Donald Trump’s efforts to quash what he sees as “woke” infiltration of the arts.

“Symphony No. 15 is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the Symphony,” Glass wrote in a letter to the Kennedy Center’s board and the National Symphony Orchestra at the time. “Therefore, I feel an obligation to withdraw this Symphony premiere from the Kennedy Center under its current leadership.”

Trump has made an array of changes to the Kennedy Center, which did not respond to a request for comment.

He worked quickly to alter the institution’s programming and image, including its name, which now reads “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” on its facade. Board members appointed by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, were replaced, while top Kennedy Center officials stepped down amid a growing number of artist cancellations and a reported drop-off in attendance at performances.

So far, more than two dozen artists and performing groups — including Glass, banjoist Béla Fleck, “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater — have pulled scheduled performances, many in direct response to Trump’s controversial overhaul efforts.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that the Kennedy Center would close for two years, starting this summer, for renovations.

Glass, through a publicist, declined a request for comment. “He’s letting his letter speak for itself,” Krista Williams of Sacks & Co. said in an email.

While the world premiere of “Lincoln” has yet to be announced, the BSO will be first to debut it in Maryland, Williams said. Glass, the composer of “Lincoln,” is not scheduled to appear during the performance, and Williams could not confirm whether he plans to attend the BSO performances.

BSO music director Jonathon Heyward said he’s “over the moon” to present “Lincoln.”

Heyward, in his role since 2023, said it’s been a personal goal to conduct a symphony written by Glass, largely considered one of America’s most famous living composers.

“The BSO has always and continues to encapsulate this concept and idea that we are truly a symphony hall for everyone,” Heyward, 33, said. “This decision on Philip Glass’ behalf really aligns with our vision, our mission and our values.”

Over the decades, Glass’ influential work as a composer and pianist has earned the Baltimore native nominations for Grammys and Oscars, along with a Golden Globe win in 1998 for best original score for “The Truman Show.” He was also part of the Kennedy Center’s prestigious class of honorees in 2018.

As America turns 250 this summer, “Lincoln” will ask audiences to consider what the 16th president continues to represent about the country and its pursuit of equality, Heyward said.

“Now, more than ever, it’s probably an interesting time to be able to reflect on an American president of his stature and what he believed in,” he said.

Glass’ decision to relocate “Lincoln” to Baltimore is the latest in a string of recent examples of Charm City benefitting from D.C.’s loss.

The Baltimore Museum of Art has seen record-breaking attendance figures since November, when Maryland Institute College of Art alum Amy Sherald moved her “American Sublime” exhibit from the National Portrait Gallery to the BMA over censorship concerns. Meanwhile, the Washington National Opera will bring “West Side Story” to the Lyric Baltimore and Strathmore in May after announcing its departure from the Kennedy Center.

The BSO, celebrating 110 years since its founding, will kick off its season on Sept. 25-26 at Strathmore and the Meyerhoff, respectively, with a gala featuring six-time Grammy-winning jazz singer Samara Joy.

Other season highlights include the launch of the BSO’s Coffee Series — classical performances held on select Friday mornings as a new way to start the day — and fresh offerings for its popular mash-up events. This season, the BSO will perform live during film screenings of “Home Alone” and “The Goonies,” along with “BSO Fusion” crossover performances based on hit songs by Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar. And it will perform the music of “Star Wars” on the franchise’s 50th anniversary.

Heyward, who recently signed a three-year extension at the BSO, said the new season reflects the symphony’s continued efforts to make classical music more accessible and inviting to wider audiences. Since the BSO’s 2022-23 campaign, nearly 30,000 patrons saw their first classical concert, while ticketed attendance has increased 58%, according to the orchestra.

There’s plenty of work to still be done, said Heyward, the youngest and first Black music director in the BSO’s history.

“We need to continue to listen. We need to continue to adapt,” he said. “We need to continue to open our doors so that people truly feel that this amazing art form can be for them.”

This story has been updated to say the BSO will perform music from "Star Wars" during the 50th anniversary year of the movie's release.