On Friday night, May 25, DH and I went to listen to another performance of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. We ate a light supper and went early to Ordway, the concert hall, which is right across the street from the delightful Rice Park that has a fountain, statues of notable local heros, and lots of benches. Many concert goers were "loitering" in the pleasant summer evening, waiting for the concert. Camera at the ready, I snapped lots of photos which you will see later. When we started back, just ahead of us was one of the musicians, walking toward the stage door and carrying his instrument in a familiar-looking black case. Turning to DH I wondered aloud if it was "HIM." Suspecting what I was going to do, DH did a quick fade and walked away from me. Subject "HIM" was on a cell phone. Walking a short distance behind HIM, I respectfully waited 'til he had switched off. Follow the dailogue:
ME: Excuse me, but are you Joshua Bell?
JB: (Smiling and briefly turning): Yes, I am.
ME: (Stupidly): I read about you in the DC subway. May I take your picture?
JB: (Smiling weakly) Yes, but I'm in kind of a hurry. (Concert started in :20 min. where he was the featured violin soloist on his insured 1.5 M dollar Stradivarius).
I took the quick snap which is posted above and off he went. A woman behind us smiled and said, "Is he a relative, do you want me to take your picture with him?" I laughed and said, "No, that is Joshua Bell!!"
The concert which ended a three-year association of Bell's with the orchestra as an artistic partner was incredibly sweet and wildly received by the audience.
For a review of the performance in our local newspaper, click here.
To see the concert hall, St. Paul's finest click here, which incidentally is the 15th photo I posted on this blog!
Lucky lucky you Kate!
ReplyDeleteHe seems such a fine young man, and so approachable too.
Ms booklover, this week's events in Sydney should go straight to your heart too. Come and have a look!
LOL, Nathalie, that's exactly what I thought after I read Kate's note. Lucky Kate!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the part about your husband fading away...
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave soul Kate. And look at the great photo you got by being brave :) My hubby would have disappeared too LOL
ReplyDeletetu as reagi comme un vrai journaliste, bravo et tu as eut de la chance. Il a l'air tres sympathique. Le concert etait bien ?
ReplyDeleteyou reacted like a true journalist, cheer and you ace had chance. It has the air very sympathetic nerve. Was the concert well?
What a wonderful chance encounter and photo. I would have been too nervous to even approach him! Brava!
ReplyDeleteI love your style kate...that's why you get the great pictures. This is a wonderful portrait with the evening sunset giving HIM a special glow.
ReplyDeleteLucky you!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sure he appreciated your asking him first before you took his photograph.
Good job!
Bravo!
ReplyDeleteYou're right - I laughed out loud.
ReplyDeleteSame thing (almost) happened to me with David Gilmour at the market in Coustellet last Sunday week. YMBFA has it
Amazing photograph and enlightening story behind it. Good work.
ReplyDeleteAs for me and my post...
I did write about how people used to wear long underwear over winter or until we began to stink. You can find the link at the bottom of the post today.
Brookville Daily Photo
I opened the links. Was so pleased to listen to the Chaconne by Bach, one of my absolute favourites. I once went to a concert by Hilary Hahn and I have her CD with her version (signed; she was available for a talk after her concert). I listen to it frequently.
ReplyDeleteI also read the whole story in WP. Amazing. I'm not surprised.
Here in the Paris metro you can sometimes find some very good performers (probably not world famous - at least yet) and I try to stop for a while when I have the time (which I have now). Some today famous artists have often made this metro career in the beginning and some of them managed to earn reasonable money doing so.
Yesterday, by coincidence I ran into a famous French performer (not worldwide known, but anyhow). I had a question in mind for him and he seemed to have time, so I addressed my question to him. He was extremely friendly and we took a photo of us together, talked for some ten minutes...
I will probably watch him in a concert tomorrow night and then maybe also tell the story.
Oh, he's just amazing on the violin! I have two of his CD's I bought years ago and still listen to. He just looks so young.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Kate! Nice fellow...
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to DH for his support ;-)
I had a similar encounter photographing Tom Selleck many years back....stuck out my hand and uttered the profound, "hi Tom, my name's Chris. May I take your picture?"
ReplyDeleteYou on the other hand, sounded quite poised and confident.
How long did it take before your husband reappeared?
Great job Kate.
Nice shot.
ReplyDeleteYou are good at getting up close and personal. His eyes look wonderful in the light! What a thrill that must have been.
ReplyDeleteIncredible. That's neat that y'all spoke AND you got a pic.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of talent is simply amazing. It's also amazing how much work such people add to the top of such talent.
Wow - a chance encounter indeed...and I for one didn't know he was such a cutie!
ReplyDeleteThree good things. A really bautiful photo. A lucky moment. A polite lady that asked before to shot.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's wonderful!
ReplyDeletehes got such a warm and welcoming look about him - you take wonderful portrait photos!
ReplyDeleteLucky you for meeting and hearing Joshua Bell. Also, bravo for approaching and requesting a photo.
ReplyDeleteAh, the men in our lives aren't always excited about what we do...(I had to laugh) Your picture is excellent and I am glad to hear the evening was also.
ReplyDeletegood shot!
ReplyDeleteif we could hear some of his music too :-)
Just catching up on favourite blogs. I love this story - and the photo.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredibly fortunate encounter!!
ReplyDelete