Last week I got word that Joshua Bell, who’s set to perform with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra  in my hometown, recently switched from playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto the Tchaikovsky.

As a lover of all things Tchaikovsky, and the biggest Joshua Bell fan, my face turned a leafy shade of green upon hearing this news. How miserable it is to be away from Mobile when my favorite violinist is performing! It was halfway bearable when he was only playing the Mendelssohn (it’s beautiful but not as grand as the Tchaikovsky), but now I’m fuming. In addition I own and studied different versions of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto no. 1, and above all Bell’s recording is the best.

But I shouldn’t be too upset. I can’t reveal everything yet, but I’ve been given the opportunity to hear Bell without even being in Mobile (or even at a concert)…more news on that later. I promise.