Joshua Bell's Top Music Venues and Inspiring Travel Stories
LP: What have you learned about music from your travels, rather than from your training?
JB: Some of my most memorable experiences on the road have come from Eastern European countries. I recall one evening in Budapest, Hungary, at a restaurant-bar with live music. The violinists there are among the finest I've encountered. One played traditional Gypsy violin. We swapped instruments—he tried my Stradivarius, and I played his fiddle. It was extraordinary. These musicians improvise freely, unlike in classical performance, and it's truly inspiring.
LP: What are your five favorite places to play music in the world?
JB: Carnegie Hall in New York City—truly a cathedral of music. Vienna's Musikverein, one of the world's premier concert halls. Berlin's Philharmonie, home to arguably the greatest orchestra. Buenos Aires' Teatro Colón, where South American audiences display unparalleled passion for music—it's a joy to perform for them. Finally, two London gems: the Royal Albert Hall and the intimate Wigmore Hall, renowned for their superb acoustics and knowledgeable audiences who deeply appreciate classical music.
LP: Finally, if you could choose one musical performance to attend, rather than perform in, what would it be?
JB: It's a difficult choice, but I'd select the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Eve concert. It would be magical—followed by Christmas markets and warm, spiced Glühwein.
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