Ben Folds gives two fun performances of his greatest hits with the New Jersey Symphony
The New Jersey Symphony closed out its 2025–26 season with two fun performances with indie music icon Ben Folds at NJPAC in Newark on Saturday, June 13, and at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on Sunday, June 14, with Edwin Outwater conducting the orchestra through the weekend. Marc & Carol Finkelstein of New Jersey Stage reviewed the Sunday performance in New Brunswick, where they also spoke to those that came out to attend the collaboration, including the below comment from one patron.
Ben Folds was fantastic! This was my first time seeing him with an orchestra and it added a lot of emotion and nuance to the material.” ... “I’ve seen the New Jersey Symphony before and they’re always great,” Doug concludes by insisting, “I like Ben Folds and I like the New Jersey Symphony, but I like Ben Folds and the New Jersey Symphony even better together!
Doug of Sewell to New Jersey Stage
» Read the full review from New Jersey Stage
James C. Taylor of NJ Advance Media also reviewed the performance in New Brunswick.
What makes his past symphonic collaborations work are smart orchestrations of his popular songs (the New Brunswick audience often cheered the songs based on only the opening notes—that’s how well they knew them). Edwin Outwater conducted 15 of these scores with laid-back efficiency, and the NJS players sounded rock-solid playing behind their new frontman, Folds. There was little symphonic heft on display, but some nice cinematic sparkle was delivered in the few extended orchestral solo passages.
James C. Taylor of NJ Advance Media