Billy Joel has announced his first scheduled show since revealing his brain disorder diagnosis, with tickets reserved for students at Florida Atlantic University. The evening will bring the singer back before an audience for questions, answers and some music.
Joel, 77, announced the appearance on November 9. It is scheduled for December 14 at 7 p.m. in Boca Raton, Florida, giving students a chance to hear from the musician as he continues navigating a health-related break from his regular concerts.
The “Piano Man” singer disclosed that he had normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, last year. The diagnosis led him to cancel his remaining concert dates and focus on treatment after performances had aggravated his symptoms.
His most recent full concert took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on February 22, 2025. Since then, Joel has offered updates about his recovery and made one brief, unannounced musical appearance with a tribute band.
FAU Students Can Get Tickets Beginning November 12
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The program is titled Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions & Answers…And a Little Music. His official social media announcement paired the event information with a photograph of him performing and identified the university as its host.
Tickets become available November 12 exclusively to currently enrolled FAU students, according to PEOPLE. The title promises a musical component alongside the conversation.
Although the setting differs from his arena and stadium shows, the format is familiar territory. His official website documents an event under the same title at the University of Florida in March 2012, when he took questions from audience members at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Joel Has Described His Diagnosis, Surgery and Recovery
Joel’s team explained the medical concerns in a May 23, 2025, statement on his official website. The announcement identified problems with hearing, vision and balance and said his doctors had recommended specific physical therapy and a pause from performing during his recovery.
NPH involves a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles that can affect brain function. According to MedlinePlus, symptoms can include changes in walking, memory difficulties and problems with bladder control. Treatment commonly involves a shunt that diverts excess fluid away from the brain.
In a July 2025 PEOPLE interview, Joel said balance was his biggest difficulty and compared the sensation to being on a boat. He was still learning about NPH and doing his best to recover. “It was scary, but I’m okay,” he said, reassuring fans that they should not assume he was deathly ill.
He offered more detail during a September 9, 2026, appearance on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel. As Newsday reported, Joel revealed that he had undergone surgery to have a shunt implanted.
Joel said he initially resisted the procedure, but agreed after reading about its potential benefits. “My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better,” he said.
His January Performance Was a Surprise at a Tribute Band Show
Joel’s previous return to a stage came on January 2, 2026, when he attended a Turnstiles concert at an amphitheater in Wellington, Florida. The audience had arrived to see a Billy Joel tribute band and instead found the singer himself joining the musicians.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel joked as he took the stage, according to Pitchfork. He sat at the piano and performed “Big Shot” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” with footage of the two-song appearance circulating afterward. The impromptu performance was his first public musical appearance since disclosing his diagnosis.
Joel’s October Update Explained Restrictions on Performing and Driving
In an October interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Joel said he still needed further testing before he would know whether he could resume performing as he had before.
He recalled his neurologist comparing the toll of a show to getting a concussion. Joel described the combined demands of loud music, lighting, stress and the energy of performing, explaining why doctors had advised him against concerts at that point.
He also said he was no longer allowed to drive. The restriction affected a longtime interest outside music, collecting and riding motorcycles. Joel discussed parting with his collection as he adjusted to that change.
Gooding Christie’s has scheduled more than 70 motorcycles from his personal collection for its November 20 and 21 auctions at New York City’s Javits Center. The motorcycles will be offered without reserve, meaning no minimum sale price is set. The auction house says Joel intends to use proceeds from the sale to support The Joel Foundation.