[applause] Alright, so [applause] OK, so I want you to know we have not
rehearsed anything here, okay? This is all going to be new. The orchestra, actually, has no idea what Ben's going to do. In fact, Ben doesn't know what he's going to do
because he's going to ask *you* what to do. So a couple of things. I would like, from the audience, a key that Ben can work in. [audience shouts out suggestions] Whoa, that's a lot of keys. I think I heard an A-minor in there. Okay? Okay. A minor. Now could somebody give me a tempo? Do you want here ballad, or do you want to hear something more upbeat? [audience: "upbeat"] Pretty universal. Okay. Now does anybody have a program booklet that has an interesting sentence in it? And because I can't decipher 50 sentences coming at once, I'm gonna have some volunteers from the front here call out a sentence to me
that's interesting. [audience calls out] I'm sorry, one more time? "These new spaces are all designed to be flexible." Yeah, yes. [audience laughter] So, Ben is going to improvise, in A minor, an upbeat song on "these new places are designed to be flexible." [applause] It has to be something completely new, right? [plays first 4 notes from Beethoven's 9th] [laughter] OK A minor. [music] ♫ These new spaces are all ... ♫ ♫ designed ... ♫ [audience laughing] ♫ to be flexible. ♫ [laughter] ♫ These new spaces are all all designed ... ♫ ♫ to be flexible, flexible, flexible, flexible. ♫ Okay let's see, now let's see... [applause] Cellos, let's try, um, Arco go, um... [plays piano] [cellos play, correspondingly] Yeah and then just one on the second one. [makes rhythm sounds] Great. Now let's move that down, then the same, the same thing and we can go to F so, so that's, that's the A minor, that's... and
that's with a 9 on it so [makes rhythm sounds] [makes rhythm sounds] and that's an F, a concert F. The C, G [makes rhythm sounds] 2 there [makes rhythm sounds] and then a low C [plays key]
[sings "C"] [sings & plays "E"] So whole cycles. [music] Okay great, now let's see, uh, [music] Let's do one size fits all sort of thing for the, uh, uh, the winds, reeds let's just take, like, flutes, oboes,
and bassoon, clarinets, and just, it just it this can be in whatever octave spread you want, and we're gonna go... [music] No, no, let's just make it a harmony we go [music] I'm taking them out. Just, clarinets, two clarinets go E, concert E, and G go... [music] Let me hear that and make sure I don't suck. [laughter] [music] That's it. [music] OK, now let me hear that with the cellos for a moment... 3, 4... [music] Okay that, so when we go to that E we're gonna do that. So the first, the first one is uh, Sorry, this takes a second to create a
whole song for you. [laughter] And I'm gonna take something back
about the cellos, let's just do that one cycle on each one. [rhythmic sounds: bum, bum, bum, bum] then F [rhythmic sounds: bum, bum, bum, bum] [music] And then, uh [music] Then the clarinets [music] Yeah, so let's try that. Two, three, four... [music] Ok this last one of the cycles goes [music] So move that, ah, G up anyone has the G moving up to G sharp [music] Okay great. Now, uh, uh, [music] Okay, uh, violins, first violins let's go, uh, A [music] Great and then the second violins go up... [music] Uh, so you'll go to E. Eeee...B [music] OK, you're going... [music] Great, let's hear it all together, make sure it's not crazy. two, three, four [music] OK, great. Thank you, now, uh.. I'll give the, uh, the viola a little timing shizzle here, just go... one, [music] Great, perfect, and then, and then double-basses you know what you must do... [music] [applause] OK, let's start it from the top. Now if there's anyone who would... like, a drum set, you know what to do... [laughter] Um, and, uh, then I'd say, uh, you know if there's a trumpet player that wants to take a solo after the first course when I run out of ideas then you can just take that there. OK, so let's, uh, and then, you can bring anyone in and out that you want to but I think I'm probably almost over
my time when—I had to write a song in ten minutes so... Let's just start in, or close to it. One, two, three, four... [music] ♫ For more than 45 years the JFK Center for the Performing Arts ♫ ♫ has served as a living memorial ♫ ♫ to President Kennedy by bringing an unparalleled diversity to our arts ♫ ♫ Our nation's capital... ♫ ♫ And serving a critical role as a leading provider of the arts education ♫ ♫ mission across the USA ♫ ♫ and around the world ♫ [music] ♫ These new spaces... ♫ [laughter] ♫ are all designed to be flexible ♫ ♫ These new spaces are all designed ♫ ♫ Let's milk it, make it a little bit
louder now. ♫ ♫ Mezzo forte! ♫ ♫ Forte! ♫ ♫ Double forte! ♫ ♫ Tempo forte! ♫ ♫ Fortissimo! Fivetissimo! ♫ [music] Let's take it out now, you ready? Way down here... [music] [applause] Thank you very much. [applause] Um, so for those of you that are obviously liking Ben Folds' work... [laughter] >> Available in the lobby! He will be the next artistic advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra. [applause] Mr. Ben Folds. [applause]
Five-tissimo oh my god...
Figured I would chime in. I'm a concert string player (I'll keep it somewhat vague for anonymity) and played a concert with him last year. He did the same thing and it was incredibly fun. I don't think most people realize exactly how good he is at what he does! I'd be glad to answer any specific questions about him or the experience if anyone is interested.
What excellent showmanship. Even though he was doing all of that, he was able to keep us laughing and enjoying the process.
A long while back there was a guy who did improv piano music bits on chatroullete named Merton (and published the chatroullete sessions on youtube), and he sorta looked like and sounded like Ben Folds so there was speculation that it was actually Ben Folds. After a few of his sessions went viral, Ben Folds did the same bit at one of his shows, and also they met and did a quick "we're not the same person" video. Both Merton and Ben are pretty good at it, riffing on whatever they can see of the person in the chatroulette window, and often trying to have a conversation with them and working that into the song they're improving.
Mertons first video
Ben Folds does the chatroulette bit
Ben and Merton
I thought for sure this was gonna be a "Rock this bitch".
I love Ben folds. I still think his Myspace "bitches ain't shit" track with 100 guitar players was his most creative live appearance.
Seeing this video was fun. I've grown up singing along to his albums. It kinda reminded me of beardy man beat boxing along with an orchestra.
You can't watch that here.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N02t6UmDps4
So much talent in that room! Much respect.
Woo I got to see this live! If you've ever seen Ben, he does this sort of thing about every show. This particular performance was awesome because it was part of a science/music program with National Symphony Orchestra and National Institute of Health, and they explained a little about the science behind improvisation - how different areas of your brain light up.
Do you think we would recognize a modern day Mozart if he was amongst us?