Joshua Bell Quotes

I've always been accused of moving around too much when I play concertos. Sometimes, conductors ask me which of us is leading.

I prefer it when the conductor follows me. It is more difficult to work with a conductor who does not listen - even if I understand that sometimes it makes sense when one person is ruling everything. But for bel canto, I have to have a conductor who listens and supports me.

A Beethoven symphony should be rehearsed like chamber music, only for a lot more people.

I am just the band leader, and I just keep everything in tune.

A lot of people think the orchestra is playing and the conductor doesn't do very much, but the conductor's the person that gives shape to the music, gets the phrasing, and if he has really fine musicians in solo spots, the question is does he try to help them phrase, or does he let them go?

I chose the trombone because the trombone players in the marching band got to be up front with the majorettes (because of the slides) and I loved that!

What is so important is that you play for the artist and for the record and for the song ... everything else falls into place ... my solo has to be a complement to the singer and the song.

The great thing about string quartets is the players are kind of like family. They work really well as a unit, so you can write things that let them use those talents of association and intuition-all the things they’ve developed together as a group.

Playing a concerto with Zubin is like being surrounded by a well-loved, cashmere-lined silk glove.

The breath of the flute player: does it belong to the flute?

If you mess around with jazz, you better have a good drummer and a good bass player.

I'll probably pay more attention to the musicians in the pit than the stars because they're the closest you're going to get to normal people in the audience.

Conductors do not know how the oboe does its work, but they know what the oboe should contribute.

... The 'cleverness' syndrome has taken the place of melody. It's like everyone has come down with this terrible disease in jazz....you are always expected to do your own material, which is a strange thing to do if you're a poor composer but a great player.

I don't care how much people understand what it is that I'm doing, except if they're players in my ensemble or other ensembles. I just want people to be moved by the music. If you're not moved by the music, then everything else falls away. You're not interested in the text, you're not interested in how it was done, and you're not interested in interviewing the composer and all the rest of it.

I will miss a good friend who was so talanted. He was such agreat performer/ guitar player. Sleep well Prince.

I've watched other people singing, I've become a much better singer. I've become a singer that plays the piano instead of a piano player that sings.

I just listen to so much music that I like the role music can play in scoring something. I'm not doing song parodies or funny songs, I'm just adding some music to my words. So it's limited and specific, but as a performer I find it pretty enjoyable.

I really wasn't needed... Just straightening up riffs, that's all. Just two guitarists doing it instead of one.

Musicians communicate in other ways. That's just something you rely on.

Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent.

When I am with composers, I say I am a conductor. When I am with conductors, I say I am a composer.

I'll leave it to other people to evaluate the legacy of my book, but I'm very moved when musicians tell me that they've been inspired by my book.

It was never my first choice to be a singer/guitar player. I really wanted to play drums.

I play music - I write my own music, but I play music, just background music really, and just let it happen.