Page 365 - ASMF Marriner 100 Coverage Book

“I normally don’t like to speak before I even play a note,” Bell said. “But I am
incredibly happy to be in Bloomington.”

Before Bell’s Grammy-award wins, his participation in former President Barack
Obama’s Committe on the Arts and Humanities’ mission to Cuba and several
international tours with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the renowned violinist
grew up and began playing music in Bloomington, Indiana.

Bell had been working with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields since 1986, when
he first recorded the Bruch and Mendelssohn concertos with previous music director
and ASMF Founding President Sir Neville Marriner. The Academy of St Martin in
the Fields was created in 1958 with the intention of bringing together the finest artists
in London for a top-class chamber ensemble. Marinner passed down the music
director wand to Joshua Bell in 2011, making him the only musician to hold the
position since the acclaimed founder himself.

Bell told a story of growing up in Bloomington in the 1970s, walking down the street
and seeing the filming of the movie, “Breaking Away,” the story of four teenage boys
training for Indiana University’s beloved Little 500 bike race. Bell explains that
“Breaking Away” was the film which first introduced him to Rossini’s “The Barber of
Seville Overture,” a song on the soundtrack, and Bell and the orchestra’s first
performance of the evening.

The orchestra playing under Bell’s direction included several other violinists and
various musicians on viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet,
trombone, tuba and timpani. Even with each member dressed in black, sitting
alongside a plain stage set-up, the orchestra’s sound had no trouble captivating the
audience throughout their performance. The musicians’ stage presence and body
language proved itself just as fast and intentional as each note that was played.

After the Overture, the orchestra played the work of Johannes Brahms: “Allegro non
troppo,” “Adagio” and “Allegro giocoso; ma non troppo vivace,” followed by Joshua
Bell original cadenzas.

At the end of the Brahms performance, Bell bowed to the crowd, receiving a standing
ovation, and he and the orchestra left the stage as the auditorium lights lifted for an
intermission.

The latter part of the captivating show featured the works of Robert
Schumann: “Sostenuto assai; Allegro ma non troppo,” “Scherzo: Allegro vivace,”
“Adagio espressivo” and “Allegro molto vivace.” Wrapping up around 9:30 p.m., Bell
took a bow along with each orchestra member. Academy musicians hugged each other
as the crowd applauded and cheered one final time.

Tammy Brooks, an audience member local to Bloomington, said she has watched a
variety of musical performances, but thought Bell’s show was incredible.