Ben Folds News

Broadway favorite Betsy Wolfe will headline The New York Pops Underground cabaret performance on Monday, September 19, 2022 at 54 Below, performing selections from Waitress, The Last 5 Years, and her new Broadway show, & Juliet.

East Nashville-based singer-songwriter Derek Hoke has announced that his new album Electric Mountain will be released via 3Sirens Music Group, the first release from the Music City collective 3Sirens’ label arm. Hoke has also just shared his new single “Wild and Free,” a blend of acoustic guitar and synthesizers that arrives with a music video.

New York, NY - A group of exciting and unique composers are partnering with FRIGID New York to present Don't Call Us Emerging: A Songwriters Concert (Wednesday, July 20th, 9:30pm at The Kraine Theatre); an evening of original material performed by the writers themselves, along with a few guests.

This September, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its namesake with two projects: the opening of Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy—a new permanent exhibit exploring Kennedy's presidency and commitment to the arts—and a reprise of Bernstein's MASS, which premiered at the Center's opening exactly 51 years earlier. These projects cap an extraordinary year that saw the Center reopen its doors after the pandemic lockdown for a landmark 50th Anniversary season.

Clem Snide (moniker of Nashville singer-songwriter Eef Barzelay) released “Song For Mike,” the 5th episode of his new podcast series, A Life In Song, distributed by acclaimed studio Double Elvis (Disgraceland, Badlands). Mike is living aimlessly until, on a whim, he joins the U.S. Navy. Along the way he gets a surprise haircut and a new personality.

Tony Award winning producer Michael A. Jenkins today announced the cast for the special by-invitation-only industry reading for the new musical BELVA - Don’t Give Up Before the Miracle on Friday June 10th at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue).

Born of the idea that everybody has a story to tell, and everyone deserves a song, each 15 minute episode begins with an ordinary person sharing an incredible, heartbreaking and often life-changing experience and culminates with an original song inspired by the story by Clem Snide.

The Music Center welcomes the West Coast premiere of The Joyce Theater's SW!NG OUT, directed by tap phenom Caleb Teicher (June 24-26, 2022).

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Cincinnati Pops have announced details for the inaugural Andrew J. Brady Neighborhood Concert Series.

Tony Award winning producer Michael A. Jenkins will present special by-invitation-only industry reading for the new musical BELVA - Don’t Give Up Before the Miracle on Friday June 10th at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue).

The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra announced two additional special events for its 2022-2023 season: hip-hop artist Common will make his Cincinnati Pops debut on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 under the direction of Pops Principal Guest Conductor Damon Gupton, and singer-songwriter-pianist Ben Folds will perform an orchestra show with the Pops on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. 

The New York Pops, led by Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke, today announced its 2022-2023 season of performances in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. This season also marks the orchestra’s 40th anniversary.

The National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Steven Reineke, will perform lush orchestrations of classic Disney songs featuring celebrated Broadway stars in a weekend of performances on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. 

Broken Box Mime Theater will present the With Words Series, as part of their World Premiere of Take Shape at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street New York, NY 10019), April 1-May 1.

The National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Steven Reineke, and Artistic Advisor Ben Folds welcome legendary actor, musician, activist, and recent space traveler William Shatner as the featured guest artist for its upcoming DECLASSIFIED: BEN FOLDS PRESENTS concert on Friday, April 29 at 9 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) kicks off May with The Blue Danube on Thursday May 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 7 at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Music Director Andreas Delfs leads a program about beginnings and endings, featuring a World Premiere by acclaimed composer and recent Latin Grammy winner Roberto Sierra: Violin Concerto, a la memoria de una niña valiente, performed by Concertmaster Juliana Athayde (The Caroline W. Gannett & Cayla Ward Chair). 

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off May with The Blue Danube on Thursday May 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 7 at 8 p.m. in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat has announced four new community programs in May with Hermitage Fellows specializing in music, writing, multimedia, and theater, including an event with Tony Award-nominated playwright Bess Wohl (Grand Horizons, Small Mouth Sounds).

National Symphony Orchestra Artistic Advisor Ben Folds will join Planet Word, a DC-based interactive museum devoted to immersive language experiences, the NSO, and Camp A Cappella in co-hosting an immersive a cappella camp – entitled “DC Camp A Cappella Intensive” - for area a cappella groups on Tuesday, April 26th.

The trailer for the new original special is based on the classic Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz and features an original song by American singer-songwriter Ben Folds. In addition, the classic Peanuts special from Mendelson/Melendez Productions, “It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown,’’ is also coming soon to Apple TV+.