The patina of our flagship hotel brand hasn’t been created solely from the passing of time. It’s also made from the countless memorable moments enjoyed by our guests. From films to fêtes to feasts, from artists to athletes to ardent admirers, the hallowed halls of our properties have been the settings for a rich and varied tapestry of occasions woven by people from all walks of life.
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Langham has a long history of dedication to the arts. Music is also at the forefront with staple pieces like the first SHADD piano ever made in our New York flagship. Learn more about other pieces and further commitment to the “Sounds of Langham.”
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By 14, Bell was performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and by his late teens, he was already being hailed as one of the most promising violinists of his generation.
Unlike many prodigies who burn out under pressure, Bell’s love for music only deepened with time. His career has been defined by a rare combination of technical mastery and emotional depth—qualities that have made him one of classical music’s most recognisable stars. Whether performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the New York Philharmonic or improvising with bluegrass virtuosos, Bell approaches every note with the same infectious enthusiasm.
“I don’t remember falling in love with music,” he shares. “Music has just been my life. Most of the time I’m excited to walk out on stage. It’s where I love to be.”
One of the most defining moments of his career had nothing to do with a concert hall. In 2007, as part of a Washington Post experiment, Bell disguised himself in a baseball cap and played his $3.5 million Stradivarius in a Washington D.C. subway station. Over a thousand commuters rushed past, barely noticing the world-class musician in their midst. The stunt became a cultural talking point, but for Bell, it reinforced a simple truth: music’s power lies not in prestige, but in the moments, it moves someone, whether in a grand theatre or a train station.
“I like variety, so I have a perfect job for that because I get a different city every other day,” he says.
Offstage, Bell is surprisingly relatable. A self-described tech geek, he loves video games and has even joked about his backup career as a mathematician. His violin, the famed "Gibson ex Huberman", has its own dramatic backstory. It was stolen twice, including once by a café musician who played it incognito for 50 years before its recovery.
“I love the sense of history when I walked into The Langham in London,” he says. “I was told that Antonín Dvořák, one of my favourite composers, stayed here. I love feeling connected to that history.”
Bell’s collaborations stretch beyond classical, from film scores like The Red Violin to genre-defying projects with musicians like Chick Corea and Chris Thile.
Bell now balances performing with his role as music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, following in the footsteps of his mentor, Sir Neville Marriner. Yet despite the accolades, he remains most energised by the intimacy of live performance—the shared silence before the first note, the collective breath of an audience moved by music.
