Billy "The Piano Man" Joel will make his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in
January.
Joel will perform with the orchestra Jan. 26 to celebrate the 151st
anniversary of the Academy of Music, it was announced Thursday.
The program, led by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach, will also include
the Blue Man Group, soprano Disella Larusdottir and pianist Conrad Tao.
Joel, 58, will play a selection of his own songs, and the orchestra will
present the world premiere of his classical composition "Waltz No. 2 (Steinway
Hall)" in a new orchestration.
The Academy of Music was the home of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1900 to
the opening of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in December 2001.
A portion of the concert proceeds will support the orchestra's Billy Joel
Endowment Fund for Education.
Joel released "Fantasies & Delusions," an album of classical piano
compositions, in 2001.