Famed violinist Joshua Bell returns to Omaha

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November 13th, 2012

Omaha, NE – A superstar violinist teams up with the Omaha Symphony this weekend.

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Joshua Bell is one of the most famous living violinists. He began playing at age four, and a decade later, he was appearing as a soloist with many major American orchestras. This weekend, he returns to Omaha to perform with the Omaha Symphony.

Joshua Bell will perform Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. in Omaha’s Holland Performing Arts Center. (Courtesy photo)

“I’m psyched about coming to Omaha,” Bell said in an interview with KVNO. Bell said the first time he came to Omaha was about 30 years ago when he was 14 or 15 years old. He performed in the Omaha Symphony with Tom Briccetti conducting. “It was one of the first places that gave me a little break as a 14-year-old,” he said, “and so I have fond memories of coming there.”

This weekend, Bell will perform the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, a notoriously difficult piece. “It’s certainly technically challenging,” Bell said. “It asks a lot from the violinist, and to get it just right, and the expressions, it’s difficult as well.”

“It’s not an easy piece, but it’s very rewarding piece,” he said, “and probably the most exciting piece in the repertoire for violin and orchestra.”

Bell first performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto at age 13, and has performed it hundreds of times since. He said that over the years, he’s come to see it in a different light. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen other elements come out,” he said. “I’ve tried to bring out some of the more intimate moments, more graceful and balletic movements, of which there are plenty.”

“Tchaikovsky wrote probably the greatest ballets,” he continued, “and this music is incredibly elegant and light at times.”

“I think sometimes people, including myself, might have viewed this piece as being heavy and romantic, which it is, but it has so much more to it.”

The concert will also feature Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1, Winter Daydreams. Performances are this Friday and Saturday at 8 pm in the Holland Performing Arts Center.

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