The master as leader and player: Joshua Bell dazzles at Strathmore

Say the name Joshua Bell and most will think of the violin virtuoso with the boyish, brown locks -- not the music director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. On Friday evening, Bell, the star violinist-turned-conductor, donned both hats at the Music Center at Strathmore, in North Bethesda, performing in lockstep with his chamber orchestra colleagues of five years in an unforgettable program that showcased the versatility of the ensemble and the soloist.