Joshua Bell

“In concertos, I stand up, and I conduct with the bow when I'm not playing. During symphonies, I sit, but sometimes I stop playing to conduct. Being seated in a section allows me to feel more...”

“The symphonies are the things that, as a soloist, I've not gotten to play. I used to travel the world playing concertos, and then I would sit and listen to the symphony.”

“I started directing chamber orchestras, then adding bigger pieces, adding winds, adding small symphonies. I've always loved chamber music, and I've done a lot.”

“Being a director or a conductor is a balance of many things. And to do it right is a very difficult tightrope to walk. I've come to the conclusion that there's really no way to be one hundre...”

“I've been touring for 25 years. I'm used to it, so I love it. Although I feel the tug of home, as I have three little kids, I don't suffer like some artists who constantly complain about how...”

“People wrote the most beautiful things during the ugliest times.”

“When you play for ticket-holders, you are already validated. I have no sense that I need to be accepted. I'm already accepted.”

“There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a conductor say, 'Play softer,' as they're waving their hands in huge gestures.”