Billy Joel is preparing to return to the stage despite doctors warning that performing could cause further damage to his health. The legendary musician, 77, announced Monday on Instagram that he will appear at Florida Atlantic University on Dec. 14, as reported by Page Six.

The intimate event is titled “Billy Joel for Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions & Answers…And a Little Music.” It will include a Q&A segment along with some live music from the “Piano Man” singer.

Tickets will be offered only to students who are currently enrolled at Florida Atlantic University. The appearance will mark Joel’s first since he revealed in September that he had undergone brain surgery.

Joel was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, also known as NPH, in 2025. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, places pressure on the brain, and disrupts brain function.

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The singer told the Hollywood Reporter last month that he wanted to continue performing, but his doctors had advised him against returning to the stage. His ability to perform remained dependent on medical evaluations.

“I have to take a series of tests before I know,” Joel told the outlet. His doctors were particularly concerned about the extreme sound volume, bright lighting, stress, and energy involved in his performances.

Joel described the stark warning he received from his neurologist about the possible impact of each show. “What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” he shared.

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His condition has also affected another important part of his life. Joel said he was “not allowed” to drive, a restriction that contributed to his decision to auction off his prized collection of more than 70 motorcycles.

“I have a condition called hydrocephalus, which makes driving a little bit iffy,” he said. “So I realized it’s time for me to turn it over to somebody else.”

Despite the frightening diagnosis and its consequences, Joel has remained defiant about his future. During a September appearance on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel, he made clear that he was continuing to fight.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here,” he stressed. The musician also discussed his initial reluctance to undergo surgery and the concerns that ultimately changed his mind.

Joel said he learned that the procedure could improve both his balance and his memory. Those possible benefits convinced him to agree to the implantation of a shunt in his brain.

“You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles,” he noted. “It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt, and I had surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain, and it actually improved things.”

Even after experiencing improvement, Joel explained why doctors believed he needed to step away from performing. He said concerts had been damaging his brain nerves and could lead to the loss of additional brain cells.

“It was causing damage to my brain nerves, and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did,” he said. “I realized that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now. I got to improve.”

In May 2025, the Grammy winner canceled all of his scheduled tour performances after receiving the NPH diagnosis. At the time, he announced that recent concerts had made the condition worse and caused problems affecting several of his senses and his balance.

“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” Joel wrote in an Instagram post. His Dec. 14 appearance now signals a limited return through a student event built around conversation and a little music rather than a conventional concert.