Vituoso violinist entertains DC subway users in anonymity
I noticed yesterday that the Washington Post had won one of its six Pulitzers yesterday for a Post magazine story about violin virtuoso Joshua Bell performing at the entrance to the DC Metro's L'enfant Plaza station stop. He earned about $32 in 43 minutes from about 25 people. Almost 1,100 commuters had passed him by as he performed.
He was dressed like any performer, but certainly didn't SOUND like any performer. Read the award-winning story and view the video here.
I never give money to panhandlers. But I sometimes give cash to subway performers. I'd like to think I would have given Bell a buck or two if I heard him. But maybe not.
Oh good lord, did he crash/trash another Porsche?
Posted by: nd | April 08, 2008 at 08:49 AM
Since Bell's Strad is named "Gibson ex-Huberman" he should definitely book into a CTA station next time he's in town. To think, I spent 50 bucks for a nosebleed the last time Joshua Bell played with the CSO and I could've heard him for free in L'Enfant Plaza. A few years ago there was a "violinist" playing in the Chicago Ave subway who was so bad I paid him not to play until my train arrived and I was gone.
Posted by: Martha | April 08, 2008 at 10:51 AM
I thought that was a bunch of elitist crap, no wonder it won a pulitzer. There have been a number of times I've been walking on a subway platform and enjoyed whatever performer was down there. But I didn't stick around because when I use the el, it's because I have somewhere else to go, not because I just love hanging around el platforms.
The only cultural critique it offered was the poignant observation that when people are commuting, their purpose is to commute.
Posted by: JKM | April 08, 2008 at 08:05 PM
I agree with you, JMK. The Post piece was a little precious. The writer was obviously infatuated with Bell. I thought the short film that appeared on "Image Union" a few months ago about CTA subway performers was much more interesting. My favorite CTA performer ever is the Asian guy who used to play Vivaldi at the end of the pedway leading to the terminals at O'Hare. The acoustics there are great for strings and the effect was absolutely haunting.
Posted by: Martha | April 08, 2008 at 08:22 PM
While I enjoy performers as much as anyone, until the CTA fixes their intercom system in the Loop underground stops, having performers down there is bad. I've had more than a few times where some announcement came over the intercom that I couldn't make out a word of because someone was performing a cover of Atlantic Starr's Secret Lovers or something.
Posted by: Flynn | April 09, 2008 at 08:33 AM
I often give street musicians money.
$32 in 45 minutes? That's a pretty good pay rate. Maybe not what an internationally renowned violinist normally makes, but it's not bad money. A couple of hours every weekday and you can make a living.
Posted by: jerry 101 | April 10, 2008 at 09:26 AM