Joshua Bell comes to Istanbul and Ankara

ISTANBUL

One of the most celebrated violinists of his era, Joshua Bell, will greet music lovers in Istanbul and Ankara in May. 

The artist is known for his performance in a Washington D.C. subway station in 2007. Bell had agreed to participate in a Washington Post story by Gene Weingarten that thoughtfully examined art and context. 

The experiment was videotaped on hidden camera; of the 1,097 people who passed by, only seven stopped to listen to him, and only one recognized him. For his nearly 45-minute performance, Bell collected $32.17 from 27 passersby. 

The story earned Weingarten a Pulitzer Prize and sparked international discussion. 

An exclusive Sony Classical artist, Bell has recorded more than 40 CDs since his first LP recording at age 18 on the Decca Label, garnering Grammy, Mercury, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards in the process. In October 2014, HBO aired the documentary special “Joshua Bell: A YoungArts MasterClass” to coincide with the eagerly anticipated release of his Bach album recorded with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Performing on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin and using a late 18th century French bow by François Tourte, Bell will take the stage on May 15 at Istanbul’s Zorlu Center PSM. He will meet Ankara audiences for the first time on May 16 at Congresium Ankara.