World-Class Violinist Joshua Bell Overlooked at DC Rush Hour
The Washington Post conducted a fascinating experiment in mid-January. They placed world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell at the entrance to the L'Enfant Plaza Station in Washington, DC to conduct a little experiment. Would hearing a world-class violinist inspire commuters to stop and look up from their morning rush, or would they soldier on, ignorant of the Grammy-winning musician who has played with nearly all of the world's major orchestras? The results were an exercise in music appreciation and context:
"In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look."
Stacy Furukawa, a demographer at the Commerce Department, was the only commuter to recognize Bell.
Said Furukawa: "It was the most astonishing thing I've ever seen in Washington. Joshua Bell was standing there playing at rush hour, and people were not stopping, and not even looking, and some were flipping quarters at him! Quarters! I wouldn't do that to anybody. I was thinking, Omigosh, what kind of a city do I live in that this could happen?"
Pearls Before Breakfast [washington post]
Posted Apr. 9,2007 at 9:45 AM EST by Andy Towle in Music, News, Transportation, Washington DC | Permalink
Pul-leeze! Straight? Back in his student days at Indiana University he was known as Miss Joshua Bell!
Posted by: Billy | Apr 9, 2007 2:35:32 PM
"Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons I left DC... " What???
It always amazes me when these bitter queens take ANY opportunity to bash DC. Glad you're in Seattle, Dan. We're much better off without you (and your attitude) in DC.
Regarding the "experiment", I'd venture to say we're no different than people in most major cities. In fact, the majority of people here are temporary transplants from all over the world and they bring with them their reactions to tests like these.
Posted by: dcmarty | Apr 9, 2007 3:08:12 PM
Say Andy- if you remember the Pet Shop Boys video for "London", Neil and Chris were busking in the Underground, seemingly ignored except for a jolly dancing drunk :)
(probably edited though, lots o people probably recognized them..)
Posted by: Deschanel | Apr 9, 2007 3:18:31 PM
Did any of you read the actual article?
Mark for example, the article explicitly states that no inference can be made due to the venue in which it was presented. The article mentions Kant a philosopher to support that nothing can be determined about the cultural/ artistic appreciation of the people.
Instead of getting all brainwashed "gung ho america" hollier than thou you should read the entire article.
Posted by: pacificoceanboy | Apr 9, 2007 3:38:44 PM
it's call nuance OceanBoy! And you prove my point... IT'S A NON-STORY! There is know actual "news" relevance to the entire piece!
So, don't get yourself all worked up with your brainwashed "all americans are stupid" theology... better luck next time.
Posted by: mark | Apr 9, 2007 4:14:19 PM
Oh Mark...
Posted by: Jason | Apr 9, 2007 4:39:21 PM
Marty, did you read the next sentence down? I understand you're probably far too busy for this whole 'context' thing, but really...
Everyone settle down. Lack of culture or not, I think this whole is exchange is proof that DC is sorely lacking a sense of humor.
Posted by: seattledan | Apr 9, 2007 4:53:54 PM
I liked the article. I'm a classical musician, but even if I weren't I would still be able to notice that Bell's music was on a totally different plane than the average street performer. I think the take-away message in the piece isn't that Americans are a bunch of philistines, but that there's great beauty to be experienced if we only allow ourselves a moment to be mindful of our surroundings.
Posted by: Brian | Apr 9, 2007 4:58:33 PM
"I think the take-away message in the piece isn't that Americans are a bunch of philistines, but that there's great beauty to be experienced if we only allow ourselves a moment to be mindful of our surroundings."
Exactly, Brian. I don't think the point here was so much that it was Joshua Bell, but rather how sad that even at that exquisite level of playing most people weren't capable of allowing that beauty to penetrate their rush hour absorption.
Posted by: LYLE | Apr 9, 2007 7:20:01 PM
the last time i looked, joshua bell put his pants on over his underwear, shopped for yogurt and blueberries at the local market, and ordered a tall soy half decaf latte the same way i did. in other words, quotidian events are inherent to our lives. like a violinist playing, open cased, in a subway station. a superb, profoundly sexy violinist, but a violiniist nonetheless.
i have heard mr bell (may i call you josh) perform many times and he is truly sublime. but to call this an experiment (and for mr bell to be injured by the non-response) is ludicrous. now if it had been Ludicris......
Posted by: scott | Apr 15, 2007 8:25:28 PM
Uniforms should be, should not be required in public schools
Posted by: cao cigar soprano | Aug 9, 2007 5:42:41 AM
The one thing that really comes out in this and from the comments I have read, is that Classical music is not to be heard as background music. It is to be experienced through the whole person and needs to be listened to intently not as a by-product of what you are doing at the moment but as intently as you would sit down and read a book, or as passionately as you would be looking at a Renoir in the Art Museum. If you stuck a famous painting up in the same venue, how many people would stop to look? Art and particular music as art, is to be enjoyed with total concentration, not as a fling or as elevator music.
Posted by: Don A. | Feb 28, 2008 9:11:55 AM
Michael Korman: symphony, wedding, cruise ship,strolling restaurant and STREET BUSKER violinist.
I usually have 200 people listening to me on street corners and art fairs when I play.
It has more to do with the musical selections than how handsome the violinist is! (or if he is playing a Guanerius)
Posted by: Michael Korman | Mar 5, 2010 11:35:08 AM