Washington DC Metro Station, on a
cold January Morning 2007,
The man with violin played six
Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2000 people
went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 minutes a middle aged man
noticed there was a musician playing music. He slowed down his pace, stopped
for a few seconds and hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
The violin received his first
dollar. A woman threw the money in his hat and without stopping, continued to
walk.
6 minutes later:
A young man leaned against the
wall to listen to his music, then looked at his watch and started to walk
again.
10 minutes:
A three year old boy stopped but
his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the musician again
but the mother pushed him hard and the child continued to walk again, turning
his head again and again. This action was repeated by several other children. Every
parent without any exception forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously.
Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but
continued to walk at the normal pace. The man collected a total of 32$.
1 hour later:
He finished playing and silence
took over. No one noticed, no one applauded and nor there was any recognition.
No one knew this but the
violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played
one of the most intricate plays ever written with a violin worth $3.5 million.
Two days before Joshua sold out a
theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
Joshua Bell playing incognito in
the metro station was organized by Washington post as a part of social
experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
The question raised: In a common environment
at an inappropriate hours do we perceive beauty ??
Do we stop to appreciate it??
Do we realize talent in an
unexpected context??
One possible conclusion reached
from this experiment could be this :
If we do not have moment to stop
and listen to one of the best musicians of the world, playing some of the
finest music ever written, with one of the beautiful instruments ever made. . .
.
HOW MANY OTHER THINGS ARE WE
MISSING ???????
HEY SLOW DOWN . .
Look for beauty, its around you, everywhere. .
YOU MOVE TOO FAST . .
