Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell stands out among American violinists for his impeccable command, resonant timbre, and polished musical phrasing. A tireless recording presence, he has contributed to more than forty albums and currently leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields as music director. Born in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1967, he first picked up the violin at age four. The following year brought lessons with Donna Bricht, and elementary school found him studying under Mimi Zweig. Sports also drew his attention; at ten he reached a national tennis tournament. By twelve he had entered the tutelage of Josef Gingold at Indiana University. While still enrolled at Bloomington High School North, he simultaneously attended the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, continuing lessons with Gingold. At fourteen he made his first appearance with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Riccardo Muti. He finished high school in 1984, stepped onto the Carnegie Hall stage with the St. Louis Symphony the next year, and completed his Artist Diploma at Indiana University in 1989. During the 1990s he remained constantly in demand as both soloist and recitalist, appearing with the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors. A 1993 Grammy honored his recording of Nicholas Maw’s Violin Concerto. In 1998 he took part in John Corigliano’s soundtrack for The Red Violin, which earned an Academy Award, a Grammy nomination, and further honors. Another project, Short Trip Home, showcased Edgar Meyer’s bluegrass-infused writing. Beyond classical circles he collaborated with Chick Corea and James Taylor, while a series of London and Paris recitals paired him with Steven Isserlis, Pamela Frank, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. In 2001 he acquired the “Gibson ex Huberman” Stradivarius, whose dramatic history later supplied the focus of the 2013 documentary The Return of the Violin. Seven years earlier, in 2007, he conducted a celebrated social experiment by busking in Washington, D.C., subway stations, prompting years of discussion on human behavior. Since 2011 he has served as music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. A 2013 Academy Award nomination recognized his work with Scarlett Johansson on the song “Before My Time” for the film Chasing Ice. His television credits include The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Amazon series Mozart in the Jungle, and numerous Live from Lincoln Center and PBS presentations. During the COVID-19 pandemic he released At Home with Music, a collection of well-known showpieces that also featured a West Side Story Medley performed with his wife, soprano Larisa Martinez. His 2023 album Butterfly Lovers presents the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao together with works by Sarasate, Massenet, and Saint-Saëns.