By Bae Keun-min
Staff Reporter
Classical musicians usually earn fame for their original interpretation of existing musical pieces and formidable performance techniques, and so did violinist Joshua Bell.
However, Bell is looking to captivate people's hearts with a different side of his unique musicality _ as a composer.
``One of my goals for the next couple of years is to write my own music. My first solo violin sonata will come out next year,'' Bell said in a telephone interview with The Korea Times last week. ``Because of my busy touring schedule, I am working on it slowly.''
For the 39-year-old virtuoso, musical composition is not an overnight dream coming from nowhere. He has been warming up for his goal throughout his career; he composed cadenzas himself for his concerto performances on stage and in recordings, including ``Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story Suit,'' and arranged music for the violin.
Bell is like a rock star in the classical world. He is a single man of great musicality with handsome looks, which has made female fans' hearts flutter. This heartthrob musician was named as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in 2000 by People magazine and as one of the six ``It'' Men of the Millennium by Glamour magazine.
``In a two-hour concert, good looks are not important to make people to listen to a concert for two hours. You need more than looks. Maybe, in advertisements, they are important,'' Bell said.
However, he did not always receive wows from audiences. He recently performed a small experiment at L'enfant Plaza in Washington D.C. _ he disguised himself as a poor street performer, wearing a hat, and performed there in January. During the event, he raised some $32 from passersby, probably his lowest fee ever.
He recalled the street performance as a unique event in which he felt something he had never experienced before. ``It's a quite strange feeling to play for people who didn't really listen. Just a few stopped to listen,'' Bell said. ``I enjoyed it, but I didn't expect much more than that.''
In contrast, Bell is expected to have a much different reaction from Korean fans during his upcoming concert on July 10 at Seoul Arts Center, his first return since a 2004 performance in the city.
``I remember the (Korean) audience was very enthusiastic. It seems that they were younger than those that I usually perform for. I was happy to see younger people,'' Bell said. ``I am very looking forward to visiting Korea. I have many friends there.''
He added he loves Korean food such as bulgogi (Korean barbeque) and kimchi. ``I know it's better to have them in Korea.''
Bell has prepared a ``well-rounded meal'' for the Seoul concert, creating a program of works with contrasting moods from classical to bluegrass and jazz, to charm the audience.
``I always like to have some flexibility in the concert,'' Bell said. Although he said no surprise like the street performance would be there, he didn't rule out a nice surprise during the upcoming concert, saying ``I can't tell you now.''
The American violinist will present his special chemistry with his violin, a multi-million dollar red Stradivarius, called the Gibson ex Huberman, made in 1713 during Stardivarius' Golden Era. When he purchased the exquisite instrument in 2004, he received media attention mainly due to his performances featured in the original soundtrack of the 1998 film ``Red Violin.''
As for the significance of the connection between a performer and an instrument, he said it is like ``finding someone to get married to.'' ``I fell in love with it immediately. I think I can express myself better,'' Bell said.
Each year, the violinist is busy touring around the world. But he never regretted having a career as a performer although he could have become either a physicist or astronomer. Rather, he has attempted to expand his musical career to conductor and composer.
``My lifetime goal would be … I try to find the right balance between a personal life and a career. I want to be happy,'' Bell said. ``I like being single and free. Someday I would like to have a family. But I am still young and not ready (to have a family) yet.''