The Sunday Magazine

The man with the violin

On September 30th, 2014, hundreds of people crammed into a crowded Washington subway station to hear Joshua Bell, one of the world's best violinists, play a free concert - underground. Seven years ago when he did the same thing, it went a little differently....
On September 30th, 2014, hundreds of people crammed into a crowded Washington subway station to hear Joshua Bell, one of the world's best violinists, play a free concert - underground. Seven years ago when he did the same thing, it went a little differently.

On January 12, 2007, Joshua Bell - in a baseball cap and jeans -  took up his position beside a garbage can and began to play his 3 million dollar Stradivarius. Almost no one stopped to listen. The only exception seemed to be small children - who would try to slow down and hear the music. 

The incident inspired Kathy Stinson to write a children's picture book -  The Man with the Violin . It's a finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. 

Our documentary tells the story of that subway concert through the voices of Joshua Bell, author Kathy Stinson and some children who enjoyed her book.

The Man With The Violin is the 2014 winner of the TD Canadian Children's Literature award. To find out more, visit CBCBooks.ca. That's where you can also vote for your favourite children's book.