The violin man

A story that reminds us of the importance of stopping and appreciating the beauty that surrounds us. On January 12, 2007, as part of an experiment, Joshua Bell took his precious Stradivarius to the L Enfant Plaza station in Washington. A journalist wanted to see what would happen if one of the world's greatest violinists performed as a subway musician. He played for 43 minutes. Over a thousand people passed by. Only seven spent more than a minute on the show. No one clapped when he finished each piece. Not even after one of the most difficult pieces ever composed. Not even after "Ave Maria," which has brought tears to many people's eyes for almost two hundred years. All over the world, people pay over a hundred dollars to hear a Joshua Bell concert. At the end of the performance, the case at his feet contained 32 dollars and 17 cents. Of those passing through the station, children were the only ones who wanted to stop and listen, but there was always an adult to pull them by the hand.