13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Joshua Bell returns to Indiana

Joshua Bell returns to Indiana

Bloomington - Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell was back home Thursday night playing for his home state audience. He's one of Indiana University's most celebrated graduates with a new campus connection.

"It is this amazing thing that music can do. It can take you to another world," said Bell.

In the formal world of classical music, Joshua Bell comes off cool. Think of him as a rock star without the guitar.

"His gift is extraordinary because when you hear him play you are moved by his playing," said Mimi Zweig, Jacobs School of Music professor.

"My violin is a Stradivarius made in 1713. It's obviously very special," said Bell.

It's the Gibson Stradivarius of red violin fame crafted in Cremona, Italy. Bell traded in another for $2 million to make the purchase.

"There are only 400 or 500 in the world," Bell said. "I found this violin in London and fell in love in about a minute of playing on it and had to have it and sold my other one. It was a love at first sound."

Bell sells out 120 concerts a year on the world's premiere stages, but if your timing is right, you might hear the same sounds coming from a rural Monroe County home.

"In my heart Indiana is my home. I grew up here. My family is still here," Bell said.

It's where mom Shirley still serves up an egg and bacon breakfast, and it's also where the violin virtuoso first played.

"I don't remember picking the violin. My parents gave me the violin when I was four," said Bell. "But I do remember taking to it right away. It is such a part of me, it is part of who I am."

"I see him as a really deep musician. I am humbled by him," said Shirley Bell, Joshua's mother.

Now at 40 years old, this student becomes teacher, joining the faculty at IU Jacobs School of Music.

"I appreciate so much what he knows and what he can do and I think he needs to start imparting that to others. I really do think he is going to enjoy that process," said Shirley Bell.

It was at IU where Bell learned from his beloved and late mentor Josef Gingold. The goal of these master classes, Bell says, is to share with students what is going on his head when he plays.

"Hopefully when I make music and hopefully that will inspire them in some way," Bell said.

To inspire the masses, Bell reaches beyond those with the classically trained ear.

"I think it's important that as classical musicians that we don't completely isolate ourselves in an elite club."

For an experiment, he agreed to pose as a street performer in the DC Metro. "That article got spread around like crazy. It was on the internet, in the papers in almost every country I've been to since then."

Yet another boost to his universal pop culture appeal, he's a featured face on magazines and talk shows. But this red hot celebrity still enjoys Hoosier visits and the home team.

"I've even had to announce at times to the audience do not tell me the score of the game if you know the score - especially if it's the playoffs and the Colts are in it. Inevitably somebody will come back and say, 'Oh, too bad about Indiana' or 'Isn't that great, they've won,' when I've taped it to play right after the concert," he said.

The concert remains Bell's primetimes.

"All you know is you are brought into this world for the time that he is playing and it seems timeless. It's like another place," said Zweig.

"I really think that everyone can enjoy classical music," said Bell. "It's current so even though set in a different time it speaks to our emotions now."

Joshua Bell is the proud father of a one-year-old son Josef, who he named after his beloved professor.

Bell is performing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Thursday and Friday and in Bloomington next Wednesday.

Joshua Bell

See Joshua Bell this week:

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Classical Series Concerts Hilbert Circle Theatre
Thursday, 9/11 8PM
Friday, 9/12 6PM

IU Philharmonic Orchestra
Wednesday, Sept 17, 8PM
IU Auditorium and Musical Arts Center

Joshua Bell's latest recording