Lara St. John, violin

Canadian-born violinist Lara St. John has been described as "something of a phenomenon" by The Strad and a “high-powered soloist” by the New York Times,

She has performed as soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Seattle, Brooklyn, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, the National Arts Centre, the Boston Pops and many more in North America. In Europe, she has played with the NDR Symphony (Hanover), Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Bournemouth Symphony, and the Amsterdam Symphony, among others. In Asia, solo appearances have included the Hong Kong Symphony, Tokyo Symphony, China Philharmonic in Beijing, Guangzhou Symphony and the Shanghai Broadcasting Orchestra. Lara has also performed with the Queensland Orchestra in Australia.

The Los Angeles Times has written, “St. John brings to the stage personal charisma, an unflagging musical imagination and genuine passion.” Recitals in major concert halls have included New York, Boston, San Francisco, Ravinia, Washington DC, Prague, Berlin, Toronto, Montreal, and in the Forbidden City of Beijing.

Lara's Bach: The Six Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo, was described as "awe-inducing" by The Toronto Star, and “wild, idiosyncratic, and gripping” by the Los Angeles Times. It was released in the autumn of 2007 where it climbed to No. 2 and was the year’s best selling double album on iTunes. American Record Guide said, “I simply don't know where else you can go to hear Bach played at this level of artistry” and the Cleveland Plain Dealer called the disc “...a stunning acheivement”.
Her third recording, Bach: the Concerto Album appeared in the “strongly recommended” section of Gramophone, which stated, "It is difficult to argue with such a technically dazzling and unfailingly musical interpretation." In June of 2005 the recording was released on iTunes where it immediately became No. 1 in the classical category.

Her debut CD, Bach: Works for Violin Solo, has sold over 40,000 copies and received resounding acclaim. The Chicago Tribune described Ms. St. John as having “superb technique and an irresistible vitality,” while US News and World Report called the recording “an exquisite performance". Her second album, Gypsy, was described as “a sizzling display” by Gramophone, and The Strad called her "an electrifying player, as deeply satisfying in Bach as she is bewitchingly seductive in Waxman's Carmen Fantasy". Lara has also recorded for Sony Classical.

She has been featured in People, US News and World Report, on CNN's Showbiz Today, and NPR's All Things Considered, Fox News, CBC and a Bravo! Special: Live At the Rehearsal Hall.

Lara began playing the violin when she was 2 years old. She made her first appearance as soloist with orchestra at age 4, and her European debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon when she was 10. She toured Spain, France, Portugal and Hungary at ages 12 and 13, entered the Curtis Institute at 13, and spent her first summer at Marlboro three years later. Her teachers have included Felix Galimir and Joey Corpus.

Other projects include a recording with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, featuring two world premiere works: the Matthew Hindson Violin Concerto and the Martin Kennedy/St. John arrangement of Totentanz, as well as The Red Violin Suite by John Corigliano. Also to be released this year, will be a recording of the Eight Seasons - Vivaldi's Le quattro stagioni and Piazzolla's Four Seasons of Buenos Aires with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra with Eduardo Marturet.

Highlights of the 2008-2009 concert season include performances with Marc André Hamelin, her London debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and her debut at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

She performs on the 1779 “Salabue” Guadagnini thanks to an anonymous donor and Heinl & Co. of Toronto.

March 2008