06-07-2025
Ben Folds, Who Stepped Down From Kennedy Center One Minute After Trump Took Over, Releases Defiant Live Album With National Symphony Orchestra
After announcing his resignation as the first-ever artistic adviser to the National Symphony Orchestra in February, just one minute after President Donald Trump's administrative regime change took hold at the Kennedy Center, Ben Folds has surprise-released the album 'Ben Folds Live with the National Symphony Orchestra' — no doubt intended as a defiant rebuttal to the administration.
Folds was named the NSO's first artistic advisor in 2017, and recorded the live album last October at the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Months later, he handed in his resignation right before the Trump administration gained control of the Kennedy Center. Others affiliated with the organization including Shonda Rhymes and soprano Renée Fleming also stepped down from their roles.
More from Variety
Kennedy Center Director Slams 'Les Misérables' Actors as 'Vapid and Intolerant' for Threatening Boycott of Trump Performance: 'Will No Longer Fund Intolerance'
Rhiannon Giddens on Her New 'Blackbird' Album, the Impact of Her Beyoncé Banjo Cameo, and Why She Canceled Her Kennedy Center Show: 'It's Important to Be Clear Where I Stand'
Conan O'Brien Defends Attending Kennedy Center Mark Twain Event Despite Trump Controversy: 'I Felt Like It Was Important'
'Not for me,' Folds wrote on Instagram following his resignation. 'It's been a wonderful 8 years working with Kennedy Center President Deb Rutter, fellow artistic advisor Renee Fleming, and the entire NSO staff, encouraging thousands of fresh new audiences to appreciate symphonic music. Mostly, and above all, I will miss the musicians of our nation's symphony orchestra — just the best!'
The live album was recorded over two nights at the Kennedy Center, where Folds performed his hits and new music with special guests Regina Spektor and Tall Heights. Described as 'part protest, part celebration' in a press release, the record is what Folds describes as a 'time capsule of the last moment before it all got torn down.'
'I still believe there's more good than not,' he told WKPK FM Louisville. 'But you must work for it. You have to say something. Especially now.'
In addition to the live album, Folds will officially announce a tour this morning at Washington's Byrdland Records, his first appearance in the nation's capital since his resignation. He will be touring the United States through the fall, performing with various orchestras including the Colorado Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Louisville Orchestra.
Best of Variety
Oscars 2026: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Wagner Moura and More Among Early Contenders to Watch
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
