Joshua Bell and Orchestra of St. Luke's April 23
Contact: Amanda Savio (860) 987-6068; e-mail: amanda_savio@bushnell.org
April 15, 2003; HARTFORD, CT - Grammy(r) Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell will perform with the Orchestra of St. Luke's on Wednesday, April 23, 2003, at 7:30 p.m. at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts' Belding Theater as part of the Webster Classical Series. The program includes Bruch's Violin Concerto, Wagner's Seigfried Idyll and Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, and will be conducted by Donald Runnicles. Tickets are $28.00-$55.00 and can be purchased at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford, or by calling (860) 987-5900. Tickets are also available through The Bushnell's website, www.bushnell.org. Groups of 10 or more may contact (860) 987-5959.
About Joshua Bell - Joshua Bell has been captivating audiences around the globe for more than 20 years. Known for his poetic musicality, he first came to national attention at age 14 when he made his highly acclaimed orchestra debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra. That performance, soon followed by his Carnegie hall debut and subsequent recording contract, created a sensation that spread throughout the music world. Now in his 30s, Bell has performed with nearly every leading symphony orchestra and conductor, recorded 26 albums and has earned the rare title of classical music superstar.
Equally at home as a soloist, chamber musician, and now conductor, Bell's career is exceptionally varied. His 2002-2003 North American performances include a 13-city tour with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under his own direction and concerts with the Orchestra of St. Luke's at Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Toronto Symphony, as well as a recital tour with pianist Simon Mulligan. European highlights consist of performances at the Musikverein in Vienna with the Tonhalle Orchestra, a Scandinavian tour with the Stockholm Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, and the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome.
Bell has recorded a diverse collection of albums since joining Sony Classical in 1996, including the Grammy Award-winning Maw violin concerto, and he was responsible for all violin sound for the film The Red Violin, which won the Academy(r) Award for Best Original Score. He holds an Artist Diploma from Indiana University.
About the Orchestra of St. Luke's - The Orchestra of St. Luke's is America's foremost and most versatile chamber orchestra. Formed at the Caramoor International Music Festival in the summer of 1979, the Orchestra evolved from the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble. The Ensemble and the Orchestra still co-exist today, and the collaborative chamber aesthetic that is the St. Luke's hallmark has resulted in consistent critical acclaim, both for mastery of a diverse repertoire spanning the Baroque to the contemporary, and for vibrant music-making of the highest order.
About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts - The Bushnell is Connecticut's premier performing arts center, hosting more than 450 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. In November 2001, The Bushnell completed a $45 million expansion project that added a second, 908-seat theater to the existing historic structure. The new, state-of-the-art performance hall allows for expanded arts, entertainment and community offerings. The Bushnell's nationally-recognized arts-in-education program, PARTNERS (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), is a cross-community educational effort serving 40 schools in 17 districts throughout the Greater Hartford area. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization.