American singer-songwriter Ben Folds will perform with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart in February, his first concert with the orchestra since 2014.
The Emmy-nominated musician will play with the TSO on Saturday, February 6, as part of a national orchestral tour. The concert will open the TSO’s 2027 season.
“Sharing the stage with the orchestra as my band is an honour I don’t take lightly,” Folds said.
“I consider them among the finest musicians in the world and together we offer audiences a musical experience like no other.”
Folds has performed with orchestras for about two decades.
“As a student of the orchestra, I sincerely believe they are a shining example of what we can accomplish in society when we all work in concert and harmony for a greater good,” he said.
The Hobart concert, at Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, will feature orchestral versions of songs from across Folds’ three-decade career.
It comes after he played a solo show at Hobart’s Odeon Theatre on October 4, as part of a separate tour.
That show featured songs from across his career, along with stories from his time in the music industry.
Folds rose to fame in the 1990s as frontman of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five, whose songs included Brick, Army and Underground.
He later launched a solo career, releasing several albums and collaborating with other artists. He also writes music for film, television and theatre.
The tour will also include concerts with symphony orchestras in Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.
