Joshua Bell: One Night Only with a Once-in-a-Lifetime Talent
Even if you are new to the world of orchestral music, chances are you’re more than familiar with the name Joshua Bell. Having performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, the GRAMMY Award-winning violinist is one of the most visible figures in contemporary music, regardless of genre.
Bell, a former child prodigy, began playing at the age of four. By the time he hit double digits – 12 to be precise – Bell began formal studies with his mentor, Josef Gingold, and made his debut performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra just two years later.
In the years since, Bell has consistently maintained engagements the world over as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, conductor, and Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He has performed for three American presidents and has partnered with a multitude of musicians including Chick Corea, Regina Spektor, Wynton Marsalis, Anoushka Shankar, Josh Groban, and Sting.
He’s recorded several film soundtracks, most notably The Red Violin, which earned composer John Corigliano an Academy Award, who credited Bell for “playing like a god.” He has also made numerous television appearances, including six Live From Lincoln Center specials, as well as a PBS Great Performances episode, Joshua Bell: West Side Story in Central Park. He’s also appeared as himself in the Amazon Originals hit series Mozart in the Jungle alongside such stars as Lola Kirke, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Bernadette Peters.
In 2007, Bell reached a whole new level of viewership when he participated in the Washington Post’s “Stop and Hear the Music Experiment,” in which he performed incognito at a Washington D.C. metro station. To date, the resulting video posted on YouTube has had over 8.3 million views. This event in turn inspired Kathy Stinson’s 2013 children’s book, The Man With The Violin, and a newly commissioned animated film, with music by Academy Award-winning composer Anne Dudley.
Be sure not to miss this incredible musician as he joins the Calgary Phil for Joshua Bell: One Night Only at the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons on Saturday, June 8. As the last concert of the 2023-24 Season, the evening serves as a fitting capstone for another stellar year with your Calgary Phil.
