I always enjoyed listening to Joshua Bell play the violin. His sense of musical line is pretty extraordinary. As the new director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, he clearly inspires the orchestra to passionate performances. It was an interesting experience to be sitting in the front row at Avery Fischer Hall and watch Bell lead the orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”) and play/direct the Brahms Violin Concerto. Another evening of incredible virtuosity on display.