The Washington Post recently asked Joshua Bell, internationally acclaimed violonist, to go play his Stradivarius in the Washington subway at rush hour.
What did you think happened? Nearly nothing, of course. A few bucks of pocket change for a violonist more used to big checks, a few passers-by stopping for a short time, one admirer finally recognizing him.
An article a little more lengthy than usual, along with nice videos, to describe the whole experiment with its high times and its long empty slots.
Washington Post: “Pearls Before Breakfast” (Can one of the nation’s great musicians cut through the fog of a D.C. rush hour?), via Neatorama.