Grammy-award winning violinist Joshua Bell to perform at Wheaton

(ed.'s note: As of Jan. 23, tickets are no longer available for this concert. If you'd like to be added to our mailing list for advance notice of arts events, please e-mail your name and mailing address to arts@wheatoncollege.edu. You can also check out our semester calendar.)

Grammy-award winning violinist Joshua Bell will perform at Wheaton through the support of Wheaton's Loser Musical Series. The February 5 performance is his only scheduled appearance in the Boston area this year. Tickets are available to the public without charge, but must be reserved in advance by calling 508-286-3515.

As part of his current tour Bell has appeared with the Boston Symphony and at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony. At Wheaton, Bell will perform Beethoven's Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23 and Tchaikovsky's Meditation, among other selections. He will be accompanied by recital pianist Simon Mulligan.

Bell won a Grammy award for a concerto written expressly for him and has been nominated for several others including one for his most recent effort, "West Side Suite," nominated this month for Best Classical Crossover Album. Bell's most mainstream effort to date yielded great accolades during the 72nd Academy Awards telecast. Following his three-year involvement with the film "The Red Violin," where he was responsible for all violin sound for the movie and soundtrack recording composed by John Corigliano, the album captured the Oscar for Best Original Score. Before a worldwide television audience, a jubilant Corgliano proclaimed in his acceptance speech, "Joshua plays like a god."

Bell's television appearances include "The Tonight Show," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "CBS This Morning," A&E's "Biography" and " "Politically Incorrect" with Bill Maher," and "Live from Lincoln Center." He was one of the first classical musicians to be the focus of a music video, which has been broadcast on the VH1, A&E and Bravo television networks. He has been featured on National Public Radio and profiled in publications including People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue, Glamour Magazine's "It" Men of the Millennium, The New York Times, Esquire, Newsweek, New York, Vogue and Travel & Leisure. Elle Magazine described him as, "the most celebrated American-born violinist of the modern era."

Joshua Bell's performance on February 5 will be held in Cole Memorial Chapel, a wheelchair-accessible building. Doors will open by 7:45 p.m. and the concert will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are available without charge, but must be reserved in advance by calling 508-286-3515. Bell will sign programs and CDs at a reception immediately following the performance. For directions to Wheaton, call 508-286-5602 or go to http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/about/directions.