Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell (born December 9, 1967) is a famous American violinist who was born in Bloomington and studied the violin at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under Josef Gingold. He has studied violin since the age of four. He is the son of two psychologists.

At the age of fourteen, he appeared as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1985 with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He has since played with many of the world's major orchestras and conductors.

As well as the standard concerto repertoire, Bell has performed new works — he is the dedicatee of Nicholas Maw's violin concerto, the recording of which won Bell a Grammy, and gave the world premiere of the work in 1993. He performed the solo part on John Corigliano's Oscar-winning soundtrack for the film The Red Violin. He also plays chamber music, and recorded a duet, Mi Mancherai, with Josh Groban, which appeared on Groban's 2003 recording Closer.

Bell is currently in possession of the Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius of 1713.

Joshua Bell currently serves as an Artistic Partner for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (beginning with the 2004–2005 season) and as visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

On May 3rd, 2007 it was announced by IU that Joshua would be joining the IU School of Music faculty as a senior lecturer in the strings department starting in the fall of 2008.

Events

• Joshua is slated to receive the 2007 Avery Fisher Prize in a ceremony at the Lincoln Center on April 10th
• Bell masquerading as a street performer at a Washington D.C. Metro station on January 12th, 2007
  • Followup online discussion

External links

• Article on Joshua Bell at Wikipedia
• Joshua Bell's recording label website
• Joshua Bell to join IU faculty - Herald Times Online (May 3rd, 2007)