Josh Bell and CODA Prostuds

This weekend was packed and an event filled to be sure. Prostuds, performances and parties were taking place just about everywhere. I found myself forced to spend it juggling school work, meetings, and work. Saturday morning CODA began interviewing potential CODA fellows for the following year. Having recently gone through a few interviews myself I really appreciated being on the "other side- waiting for the students to impress "me" and crafting the questions, not the answers. It was more intense than I had anticipated; I think that the nature of being forced to pass quick and cold character judgements within a thirty minute window is something that most people do not do so openly and overtly with others. Maybe whispering to one another or to one's self, but the second the interviewee leaves the room to begin firing of all gut impressions, good and bad, was a heavier experience than any of us had expected. I think, though, that is was a good was for me to learn more about myself and and how I do and should act when I am actually being interviewed myself. Later that night we took the CODA prostuds out to see virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell at GPAC. I was expecting to collapse in my seat and doze for the next to hours. But once the young musician walked out on stage it was clear that he intended to command and captivate his entire audience. This, I assumed, would be impossible considering he was only one man and was accompanied only by pianist- and his noble page-turner. He stared into the audience until ever person was completely silent- this required that he remain still on stage for a few more minutes than expected, as if he was waiting on us- after all we were going to have to be ready to keep up with this speed demon. He began to play some of the most beautiful scales I had ever heard, very even and sweet to the ear. As the night went on Bell began cutting away at his bow, hairs flying everywhere, his fingers sweeping rapidly up and down the neck of his instrument, tapping away and diffusing rich dissonant tones into the audience, that out of their chaos created an odd sense of harmony in the room. This "one man band" own GPAC that night with his humble little instrument, truly blowing both young and old listeners alike. It was a lovely warm ending to a rather harsh and long day.