▁a ▁judge ▁on ▁the ▁N BC ▁a ▁c app ella ▁singing ▁contest ▁The ▁Sing - Off ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁Since ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁art istic ▁ad visor ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra ▁at ▁the ▁Kennedy ▁Center ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁F olds ▁published ▁his ▁first ▁book , ▁a ▁mem oir , ▁titled ▁A ▁Dream ▁About ▁Light ning ▁B ugs : ▁A ▁Life ▁of ▁Music ▁and ▁Che ap ▁Less ons . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁F olds ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁W inst on - S alem , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁He ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁piano ▁at ▁age ▁nine . ▁His ▁father , ▁a ▁car p enter , ▁brought ▁one ▁home ▁through ▁a ▁bar ter ▁trade ▁with ▁a ▁customer ▁who ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁pay . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁F olds ▁listened ▁to ▁songs ▁by ▁El ton ▁John ▁and ▁Billy ▁Jo el ▁on ▁AM ▁radio , ▁and ▁learned ▁them ▁by ▁ear . ▁During ▁his ▁years ▁at ▁Richard ▁J . ▁Reyn olds ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁W inst on - S alem , ▁F olds ▁played ▁in ▁several ▁bands ▁as ▁the ▁pian ist , ▁bass ist , ▁or ▁drum mer . ▁ ▁F olds ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Miami ' s ▁F rost ▁School ▁of ▁Music ▁on ▁a ▁full ▁per cussion ▁scholar ship , ▁but ▁dropped ▁out ▁after ▁having ▁failed ▁' the