Joshua Bell sometimes comes across as the Peter Pan of the classical violin, flying to and from concerts and recording sessions all over the globe.

But while the fantasy character never grows older, the Bloomington-born, New York-based concert artist is starting to settle down -- professionally and personally -- after 25 years on the road.

Having a young child will do that to you, and the 40-year-old Bell, who has remained among America's top solo violinists since the 1980s, recently revealed to The Star what he has not talked about much publicly: He has a son.

Born in the summer of 2007, Josef Bell was named for his father's beloved mentor, Josef Gingold, the legendary Indiana University professor who helped found the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.

The child's mother, Lisa Matricardi, also studied with Gingold. She was Bell's girlfriend for about eight years in the 1990s. They're no longer a couple, but both wanted a child and decided to have one together. Josef and his mother live near Bell in New York.

"It's been the best thing -- it's pretty awesome for me," Bell said. "I'm really all over the place, living everywhere. It's nice to have him grounding me.

"I see him every day when I'm home in New York. When I'm not, they have this video-conferencing over the Internet, and we can see each other. With this technology, it's a good time to be a traveling parent."

Bell, who will perform three concerts with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra next week, talked with The Star about fatherhood, classical-music groupies, his brief stint as a street musician and his continuing international career.

Question: How is life as a concert artist, traveling the world at 40?

In some ways, it's more complicated, although I'm flying more first-class flights than I used to do. The chaos of the airports is the worst -- especially long flights. I like flying, but the airport security stuff can be a pain.

When you come to Indiana to perform, do you visit family?

Yes, my older sister, Toby, is a lawyer who lives in Indy, and has two little girls, my nieces. I see a lot of them, and my younger sister, Rachel, comes down from Chicago. My mom is in Bloomington.

When you travel to Indy or Bloomington, is there a restaurant you enjoy?

In Bloomington I go back to old places I remember, such as Bear's Place or Mother Bear's Pizza. Unfortunately, the video arcade isn't there anymore -- where I spent countless hours in my youth. In Bloomington, I'm told they're getting more ethnic restaurants, but I haven't tried any. It's nice just to go home and have my mother make a meal.

So, she's a good cook?

She's good. She's not, like, a virtuoso cook. She cooks with love.....

Through your career, you've made a point of trying to be accessible to your fans. Do classical violinists have groupies?

Come on, I'm not like a pop star or something. What they must have to deal with The classical groupies may be smaller in number.

When I grew up, I used to go to concerts and there was a real barrier between the audience and the artist. I kind of like being in touch....... At almost every concert, I go out into the lobby and sign CDs.......

But there's a downside every once in a while. Recently one particular woman in Europe has been going around to concert halls in many, many cities, claiming that she's my wife. She was trying to get backstage and get tickets she hadn't bought. I think the last time she tried, she ended up spending the evening in jail.

How did you react to Washington Post reporter Gene Weingarten winning a Pulitzer Prize for the feature story he did about your brief career as an anonymous street musician near a Metro stop in D.C.?

I was happy for him, of course. Ninety percent of me was very pleased about it, but a small percentage of me groaned, "Now, I'm going to be asked about it more and more." At the time, I had no idea that would be, like, the No. 1 question in every interview. After a while, it gets a little tiring.

Did you debate whether to do it?

It sounded like something different, and I like trying new things. It was really not a huge amount of time. I spent 40 minutes there, and I wasn't surprised by the outcome (with most people walking by, without recognizing Bell).

I don't think people should read horrendous things into what our society is like. If anything, it goes to prove that music needs a captive and participating audience. Music is not something that should be in the background.

Joshua Bell

Occupation: Concert violinist and recording artist; senior instructor, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Born: Dec. 9, 1967, Bloomington.

Education: Artist Diploma, Indiana University, 1989.

Latest recording: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

Awards: Avery Fisher Award, 2007. Indiana Arts Council Governor's Award, 2003. Grammy for recording of Nicholas Maw Violin Concerto, 2001. Indiana Historical Society named Bell an Indiana Living Legend, 2000.

Web site: www.joshuabell.com.

Upcoming performances

With the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Classical Series concerts 8 p.m. Thursday and Sept. 12; Opening Gala with a 5 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. concert and 8 p.m. dinner, Sept. 13 all at Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle; Classical Series $20-$75 and gala, $35-$85 with dinner packages available; (317) 639-4300, www.indianapolissymphony.org.

With the Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra led by Leonard Slatkin: 8 p.m. Sept. 17, IU Auditorium, 1211 E. Seventh St., Bloomington. Free tickets available from IU Auditorium and Musical Arts Center box offices, and online at www.music.indiana.edu.

Hardly anyone listened: Watch the Washington Post's video of Joshua Bell playing at a D.C. Metro station: