Lara St. John - Homepage

added December 3, 2005

"Violinist's dramatic physicality enhances alluring musicality"

Edmonton Journal, October 8, 2005

Violinist Lara St. John and the orchestra made an amazingly jagged, spasmodic arrangement of Gershwin's I Got Rhythm sound like one long, witty musical joke. Everything's got rhythm, only some rhythm sounds more like rhythm than other rhythms, and her rhythms were unique. The soloist and orchestra made the piece sound so hard, not because they were grasping, but because they were so good at getting into it.

St. John played a little shmaltz - shmaltz is light - like a violin transcription of Puccini's aria O mio babbino, which sounds better sung, but her performance of Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, with its erratic Gypsy stylings was light and fiery and great fun to watch as well as to hear.

Throughout the evening, St. John tempered the invitation to look or sound melodramatic, but she is a very physical player and her body language added additional excitement to her captivating musicality, which the audience responded to enthusiastically with a standing O.

[Bill Rankin]

"Stellar debut for Ferguson Center"

Virginia Gazette, October 9, 2005

The Virginia Symphony under JoAnn Falletta with Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"

The inaugural program opened with an appropriately festive "Canzon" by Gabrieli for antiphonal brass on stage and in the upper tier boxes. It was a perfect start that was quickly followed by guest violinist Lara St. John in the "Four Seasons." St. John is a highly acclaimed super star type violinist who possesses amazing vitality and energy, as easily heard in her stellar virtuoso displays and as easily seen in her constant movement back and forth while playing, physical manifestations of musical points of emphasis. In contrast to the flurry of notes were her well defined, softer moments, all of which nicely balanced for an agreeable performance.

full review

October 18, 2005

Lara performs Tchaikovsky Concerto in major tour across the Netherlands with the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra

Oct.19 8:15 PM, Philharmonie, Haarlem
Oct.20 8:15 PM, Vredenburg, Utrecht
Oct.21 8:15PM, De Doelen, Rotterdam
Oct.23 8:15PM, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Oct.26 8:30PM, Concertzaal, Tilburg
Oct.27 8:15PM, Phillipszaal, Den Haag

June 19, 2005

For weeks Lara was No. 1 on iTunes

Today's Top Albums:
1. Bach - The Concerto Album (Lara St. John)
2. Bach: The Cello Suites (Yo-Yo Ma)
3. Renaissance - Music for Inner Peace (The Sixteen)
4. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 (London Symphony, Mstislav Rostropovich cond.)

Download iTunes here

May 5, 2005

Lara live at Lincoln Center

She performs Bach's Concerto in D minor with brother Scott St. John in Rob Kapilow's What Makes It Great? series, presented by Great Performers. Monday, May 9 at 7:30PM at the Walter Reade Theater. More details here

This work is also part of Lara's "Bach The Concerto Album". Find out more

April 14, 2005

Quick Tip: Hear Lara perform at Merkin Hall in New York City on Sunday April 17 at 7PM. 20th Century Music & On showcases the music of noted composer Ronn Yedidia.

Details here

April 4, 2005

Catch Lara's last few gigs on her latest 19-city US tour with Bowfire.

Check detailed tour schedule here

November 2004

Cover story: International Musician

Lara St. John on Youth, Independence, and the Importance of Asking Why

October 2004

Young Artists: The Thrill of Discovery

Lara is one of Musical America's young artists to watch in 2004.

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Violin soloist is pretty and talented, too

The Sunday Republican, October 24, 2004

By Vadim Prokhorov

Those classical music critics who – under the spell of pop culture – write more about the looks and appearance of Lara St. John, the 32-year-old, 6-foot, blonde Canadian violinist, miss the point.

The reason for this misplaced attention to her gowns and CD covers (which are provocative only from the puritanical standpoint of classical music traditionalists) is that St. John possesses a physically-commanding stage presence. She has stage charisma; a spirit of stage confidence.

Some soloists establish that presence by using a grimace – usually a pained facial expression – to express the emotions they have to render. Others do this by frenzied aerobic display, or, silently but still intrusively, by conversing with the conductor and the orchestra. All of these displays look affectedly, old-fashionedly neo-Romantic.

The thoroughly modern St. John does none of that. Her stage presence is natural, direct, and seemingly innate. She easily takes control of the stage and the audience. She is dynamic and spirited, albeit poised and cool, which helps her to maintain the space between herself, the music, and the audience.

But stage presence is not just a physical, gene-related attribute. It is the result of effective musical potency – not the other way around. So, it helps that St. John is an accomplished musician endowed with outstanding technique.

Playing Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s “Symposium” for solo violin, strings and percussion in last weekend’s concerts of the Waterbury Symphony, St. John produced a win-win combination of image and sound. This violin concerto is a discourse about love and lovers, so St. John’s rich and sensuous sound was totally appropriate for imparting love’s all-permeating powers. With bold gestures, but without italicizing, she provided logic to the multitude of swift mood changes that are so characteristic of Bernstein’s writing.

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Violinist portrays cycle of 'Seasons'

Cincinnati Enquirer, September 27, 2004

By Janelle Gelfand
Enquirer staff writer

Antonio Vivaldi added descriptive words into the margins of his masterpiece, The Four Seasons, so that musicians would know when to evoke a barking dog or a thunderclap.

On Sunday, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra gave the experience a 21st-century twist, with a PowerPoint projection of Vivaldi's sonnets cued to each musical phrase for all to see.
It may have enhanced the listener's experienced. But it was hardly needed with the dynamic presence of violinist Lara St. John, who took the famous solo in the four concertos labeled Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

St. John was center stage in Corbett Auditorium at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Mischa Santora was on the podium to open the Chamber Orchestra's 30th anniversary season. The program ended with a glowing performance of an equally picturesque piece: Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, Pastoral.

Known for rocking the establishment with her album covers, St. John proved to be just as individual in her musical interpretation. The tone she projected on her Guadagnini violin was not always beautiful, but it was expressive and commanding, and she wasn't afraid to take risks.

An emotive performer, she launched into Summer with a supercharged duet with cellist Christina Coletta, then let her intonation slide as she imitated a mournful turtle dove. In Summer's finale, which evokes a hailstorm, St. John's cadenza was an electrifying play of fire and sparks, and Santora's orchestra was just as driving.

There were many wonderful moments: the energized feel of Spring; the spontaneity of Autumn, and the shivering ice and snow of Winter, depicted with short bows and shivering trills. The violinist phrased Winter's slow movement in short, breathless gulps, and brought its finale to an exhilarating finish with easy virtuosity.

In a seamless collaboration, the orchestra matched the soloist for vibrancy and bravura playing.

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St. John paints 'Seasons' broadly

The Cincinnati Post, Monday, September 27, 2004

Think you have heard Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons?"

Most of those attending Sunday afternoon's Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra concert at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music's Corbett Auditorium probably thought so.

But not the way violinist Lara St. John played it.

Guest artist with the CCO led by music director Mischa Santora, St. John delivered Vivaldi's four concertos in musical terms so graphic it was as if the events themselves were playing out on the video screen behind the orchestra, not just the text of Vivaldi's explanatory sonnets.

The entire concert had a programmatic theme, with Beethoven's pictorial Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral") also on the program for the opening concert of the CCO's 30th anniversary season.

St. John was a true story-teller, from the drunken revels of the peasants in "Autumn," where she inserted a hilarious wobble into her solo line, to the chills of "Winter," where her rapid bowing on and off the string really did sound like teeth chattering..

Santora filled out the musical canvas with similar detail. Never have north winds blown so harshly or snow and ice stung so sharply as in the strings' sleety, sul ponticello (near the bridge) bowing in "Winter," and he ended "Autumn's" tipsy opening Allegro with a great big pizzicato thud.

St. John's Vivaldi was not just showmanship. It was the composer's expressed intentions, brought to life with eloquence and virtuosity. The death of the hunters' quarry in "Autumn" -- usually a summary dispatch -- transpired like a mini-elegy, and her tempos in rapid movements were uniformly brisk.

May 27, 2004

Lara is subject of major New York Times article, "The Curse Of Beauty For Serious Musicians."

"Young Women Find The Playing Field Is Far From Level." (free registration on nytimes.com required)

AMERICAN RELEASE: Lara's debut CD on Sony Classical, re: Bach, hits music stores across the United States on Tuesday, May 25, 2004.

After successful launches in Canada, Great Britain and the Far East, Lara's Sony Classical debut album is now being released nationwide in the US. This adventurous disc features innovative arrangements of the music of J.S. Bach in new soundscapes that draw on jazz, world and pop influences. The recording brings Lara together with English composer/producer Magnus Fiennes and arranger Brian Gascoigne, along with such unusual guest artists as the Indian tabla virtuoso Trilok Gurtu and pedal steel guitar legend B.J. Cole. For Sony Classical, Lara will record both core classical and contemporary crossover material.

Click here to listen to the individual tracks on the Sony Jukebox (requires Flash). Or buy the album here.

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A young du Pré of the violin gives it her all

Lara St. John took on difficult works with a fierce intensity and energy

By KEN WINTERS
Special to The Globe and Mail
Saturday, February 14, 2004 - Page R5
Lara St. John, violin
At Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto

For those who may have been diverted, distracted or deluded by Lara St. John's marketing as a CD sex kitten, her Music Toronto recital Thursday night must have come as rather a surprise. The tall, comely, stately young woman with her long hair caught back severely in a player's torment, well out of the reach of her long, strong, limber bowing arm, made it instantly clear that she was there for the serious business of her art.

And her program, a thrown-down gauntlet, an unremitting musical and technical challenge from beginning to end, told us just how serious that business was: Bach's Solo Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 3, the two with the massive central fugues; and between them, Bartok's coruscating Sonata for Solo Violin, with its own daunting fugue, and Ysaye's brilliant single-movement Sonata No. 3 for Solo Violin.

St. John took on these supremely difficult works with the fierce intensity and energy of a young Jacqueline du Pré of the violin and, only occasionally, in the opening Bach sonata, did one wish for a little less personalized concentration on minutiae and a clearer perspective on the long lines and large shapes of the work.

Valuable and refreshing though this formidable player's desire is to lift the lid off conventional smoothness and generic notions of music, there are times when particularizations of nuance and phrase and sentence can distort the paragraph and interfere too much with rhythmic momentums.

Fortunately, St. John's strong rhythmic sense and lovely accuracy of pitch usually kept her from such excesses, but they didn't do so invariably in the opening Bach, fascinating though it was to hear. The closing Bach sonata (No. 3, in C) was less moody, less willful, but in the end more persuasive, indeed stunningly so, with its serene opening Adagio, its powerfully cumulative fugue, its fragile Largo, and its glinting, fleet finale.

The Bartok, a masterpiece we hear too seldom, alas, to absorb it into the blood (it still sounds wild and strange), lent itself to the extremes of passion and pyrotechnics St. John was able to muster for it, and her musical and dramatic arguments on its behalf were very splendid.

The Ysaye, happy confluence of lyrical spirit and bravura technique, also met its match in Lara St. John, and the result was gorgeous.

After the final Bach, the audience stood to applaud and the smiling player freed her long hair to bow. She had plainly given her utmost, the playing was over, and her admirers had the consideration not to demand an encore.

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St. John plays beautifully as ever

February 13, 2004

JOHN TERAUDS, TORONTO STAR

When London, Ont.-born violinist Lara St. John released her debut disc in 1996, classical music purists raised their eyebrows at the 24-year-old's semi-dressed pose on the album cover. U.S. News And World Report famously called it "jailbait Bach."

But critics and audiences also noticed that the music-making was pretty good.

Nearly eight years later, the visuals may have faded, but the music burns more brilliantly than ever.

An almost matronly St. John shambled out on to the Jane Mallett Theatre stage in a wrinkled pigeon-coloured number that had to be one of the ugliest frocks to see stage lights this season. (The Music Toronto guest managed to trip over the over-long hem at one point.) Yet the intensity and beauty of the music St. John made were almost too much for one sitting.

And she did it all solo — without the help of piano or orchestra. Given the demands of her program, it could have been billed as Xtreme Violin.

Bookending the evening were Bach's solo violin Sonatas — the G Minor No. 1 to start and the monumental C Major No. 3 to close.

St. John was in control of every brick and every daub of mortar in Bach's great architecture, shaping phrases and highlighting dynamics to perfection. The fugue movements were particularly impressive — especially the Titanic-sized one in Sonata No. 3.

Topping the first half of the program was Bartók's 1944 Violin Sonata, commissioned by Yehudi Menhuin. Like in much of his chamber music, Bartók creates large and small waves of sound which, in the right hands, become physically palpable pulsations.

The great wonder inside this Bach-inspired work is the four-part "Fuga" which combines theme, variations and inversions in a jumble that St. John grabbed, untangled and presented as a gleaming bronze sculpture.

Also on offer was the brash and melodramatic Sonata In D Minor by Eugène Ysaÿe, given a breathless rendition at St. John's hands.

This violinist once proved that what you look like says little about your music. Her music last night was as good as it gets. But it still might be time to buy a new dress.

Lara responds in a letter to the editor

Feb. 18, 2004

The fiddler hits the roof
Responds to Star review of concert
Musician requests less press on dress

LARA ST. JOHN, SPECIAL TO THE STAR
St. John plays beautifully as ever, Feb. 13.

As I have often pontificated, I never write a commentary about a review unless there is a factual gaffe. The mistake herein is not about "faded visuals" or myself being "matronly," since those are a matter of opinion, but the term "pigeon-coloured" really caught my attention.

I am very thorough when it comes to research, so I just went outside with some bread and looked at a lot of pigeons. I have never seen a navy blue pigeon, and today was no exception. My "ugly frock" is in fact navy blue. I know this because I am female and therefore cannot be colour-blind, and because I am staring at the dress as I write.

I find it interesting that Mr. Terauds (Star reviewer John Terauds) takes a dislike to an outfit and then proceeds to make up a colour pertaining to an often reviled (and occasionally bordering on pestilential) city bird.

One wonders, if the frock had been grey, would it have been called "rat-coloured," or if a brownish dress have been described as "vulture-hued," or even "roach-coloured."

Not being a practising ornithologist, I cannot name a dark-blue bird offhand, but there must be one much closer to the actual dress colour than a pigeon.

The dress in question is, and has always been, pictured on my Web site (http://www.larastjohn.com) under "gallery" in a photo where I am standing on the Hawaiian cliffs. [or see photo above - ed.]

Well, now that I'm at it, I may as well explain the bigger story.

Since I often have trouble with Canadian reviewers dedicating more sentences than necessary to whatever dress I wear, I opted to don my most demure (read: high-necked) dress for this very serious recital. It is a formal navy silk Morgana Le Fay gown, and as I see it, nothing to complain about.

He is quite right that it was a bit wrinkled, however. It was in a suitcase. I did try to get it pressed at two Toronto dry cleaners the morning of, and both refused to guarantee it back in time. So I took an iron to it. It's a good thing I am not a laundress.

I might have done a better job had I not had tens of thousands of notes to play a few hours later, but I decided to prioritize. Silly me.

And yes, I did trip once. The dress is made to be over-long. It was probably not designed for a woman carrying a violin.

I cannot help but wonder, had I worn my iridescent, red, backless low-cut number, what would have been the reaction (at least that one is perma-press!). Or the Lida Baday black dress, which has alternately been called a tawdry slip, or been subject to various décolleté remarks. Or my green silk/viscose Yuenn that was once deemed Spandex. Or (gasp!) the silver strapless sheath.

I could go on and on with every dress I have ever worn ... and it's nearly always Canadian, always male, classical reviewers. Maybe they get a bonus from the fashion editors.

I go serious and demure and get called opposite names. Rock and hard place, man.

Bottom line: What does it take for a girl to get a normal review in this country?
However, it is nice to note that now that I am an ungainly, faded, jagged-gaited, motherly, baggy, wrinkly violinist, such folks as Mr. Terauds can sit back and enjoy the concert.

Readers chime in:

Dear Editor,
I was deeply offended and disappointed by John Terauds' disrespectful and flip attitude regarding Lara St.John's appearance in his review ("St.John plays beautifully as ever", Feb.13). It's difficult in a short letter to address the nuances and issues his words raise about gender and society. I can only guess that he must take American Idol as his role model, and I wonder if he stopped to think about the repercussions of his words and the messages they transmit.

As a music critic, he is in a position of some authority with the responsibility not to abuse it. Besides, Lara St.John's appearance is both outside his area of expertise and quite irrelevant. Did he think how his words might affect young female musicians? How brave of St.John to stand on stage - just herself and her violin, and share herself so naturally, so intimately with us.

Terauds betrays that intimacy and conveys a message: 'don't be yourself, don't be natural, you'll be criticized'. How sad that he didn't instead write about what a role model she is to young, especially female, musicians. Don't we have enough to combat in this world of Vogue and Fashion Television without having to hear it from a music critic?

I don't think I'm exaggerating by saying it is precisely this message that contributes to issues of self-esteem, bulimia and anorexia among women. As a writer for a large Canadian newspaper he should be aware of these issues. Is this an appropriate way to treat, as the rest of his review recognizes, a significant Canadian female talent?

It is sad that he would come away from such a beautiful experience and litter his review with shallow and nasty words. I have to wonder whether a man would be treated with such disrespect. I think John Terauds owes Lara St.John and her audience an apology.

Judy Katz

Ms. St. John;

Thank you for writing a fabulous response to a flawed review. You've managed, with wit, charm, erudition and grace, to address a pervasive issue in journalism, i.e. the tendency to marginalize women, minimizing the depth of their achievement by describing their frock and coiffure in detail.

Your message has been written many times, by many women, but I have rarely seen it articulated with such grace, poise and good humour.

Having said that, it won't be heard by the people that need to hear it. As with so many progressive issues, we'll just have to wait until the dinosaurs die off before change can happen.

Andrew Buday

Good for you and your great response to John Teraud's review of your concert. I'm glad the Star had the decency to publish it and too bad they can't do a better job in the editing department! Why a reviewer would harp on his visual impressions at a soloist's concert can really only be explained by the fact he is male and can get away with such cattiness (a label attributed to women, of course). I hope he learns something from your response and that this press will act to positively promote your concerts and recordings.

Your new fan,
Debbie Ring

Dear Lara,
I read the review of your concert and your letter in the Star. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend your concert but that is something that I will correct ASAP.

From the review, it was an excellent concert and you are our best violinist today. No doubt about it.

Now, regarding the stupid comment on your appearance and dress, they are just stupid (or idiot). Looks that the reviewer wanted to write something different and the result was at it was.

Now, regarding why I am writing to you: just CONGRATULATIONS!!! You did the right thing and you did it in a very good stile. You could just ignore him - you are not a model, but a violinist and that is what counts. However, you decided to put him in his place and you did it.

VERY WELL DONE!!!

Alberto Behar

Lara,

I am a busy stay at home mom and unfortunately have never seen you perform, but I had to commend you for your response in the Star today.

Congratulations on being a confident, stand-up-for-yourself kind of woman - all qualities I am hoping to impart on my 2 and 4 year old daughters.

C.C.

NOTE FROM LARA (Excuses, Customs, Travel, Site Stagnation, et al)

Lara's Excuse For Not Having Updated The Website For Ages And Ages

February 2, 2004

Here are some fun statistics:

Sixty One Thousand Nine Hundred And Six Miles.

Since October 6th, 2003, and that's how the crow flies (so, like, way more, actually).

48 airports since Oct 6.

If I estimate that I was an average of 2 hours in each airport (usually much more for international flights), that makes a low estimate total of 96 hours in airports in 3 months. 40 of these were non-connecting flights meaning I had to take a cab or get driven an average of 25 miles (usually more) from or to each, which means another 1000 miles of just to and fro airports, easily another 30 hours. I was actually home for 5 days in that whole period which would seem to point out that in these 3 months, I spent about 6 hours less at my own home than in airports, or driving to them. This does not count delays or cancellations, of which I had quite a few. I am sure that I have had at least 50 of those airport hours just standing in line or arguing. Alone.

As for hours sitting in airplanes - that is just too depressing. Almost all of it pretzel class, for those who think I have a glam life. 87 time zones crossed is not fun.

Here are the stats:

Oct 6: New York - Anchorage
Anchorage - Taipei
Taipei - Hong Kong
Hong Kong - Beijing
Beijing - Seoul
Seoul - Taipei
Taipei - Vancouver
Vancouver - New York
New York - Los Angeles
Los Angeles - Pensacola
Pensacola - Tucson
Tucson - Phoenix
Phoenix - Houston
Houston - College Station Tx
College Station -Tyler Tx
Tyler - Conway Ark
Conway - Fayetteville Ark
Fayetteville - Springfield Mo
Springfield - San Jose Ca
San Jose - New York
New York - Frankfurt Germany
Frankfurt - Graz Austria
Graz - Munich Germany
Munich - Brussels Belgium
Brussels - Frankfurt Germany
Frankfurt - New York
New York - Toronto
Toronto - New York
New York - Tokyo
Tokyo - Taipei
Taipei - Bangkok
Bangkok - Guangzhou
Guangzhou - Hong Kong
Hong Kong - Tokyo
Tokyo - New York on Jan 6 3,352
4,696
478
1,254
598
922
5,961
2,435
2,462
1,838
1,404
115
1,016
80
133
251
411
91
1,569
2,558
4,862
375
221
376
194
3,862
500
500
6,760
1,303
1,577
1,052
146
1,774
6,760
miles

61,906 miles total

Glam life, huh. (not).
I think that's a pretty good excuse for not updating! Plus, on return from Europe December 8, my bags were lost and returned to me just in time (I had 12 hours) to repack and go to Asia again for 3 weeks, but they did somehow not contain my laptop computer on which I had been writing lots of website updates and stuff.

Folks ask me why I pack the laptop, as though that is a well stupid thing to do. Let me be very honest and just say that if any airline would let me take the violin and the laptop on board I would fly that airline all the time. As a violinist I am forced to either pack the laptop or go without, since obviously I must take the fiddle on board, and I have enough trouble with that (everyone knows the new rules...!) Also, one is not allowed to lock one's suitcase anymore, due to the Patriot Act, so it goes through customs and X-ray by itself whenever it finally turns up, if the airline loses it. Without the owner present, one can apparently be sure that they will pinch anything of value. The identical thing happened a few days after me, to Jimmy (Cho Liang) Lin, another violinist. His laptop is apparently in mine's good company. It's a pretty catch-22 situation. We violinists are given no choice. Well, at least they didn't take my concert dresses! (now that would be a funny thought).

At this point, I am starting to wonder about those customs guys! I used to just imagine them with all those Cuban cigars, Russian caviar, French foie gras, German sausage, various fruits, extra liquor (and piles of corkscrews, nail clippers and files, and god knows what else), and see a big party every night chez Customs. Now it seems they get to take computers as well! ( "this just sort of fell off the back of a plane, hon! Isn't it nice?"). I am thinking it might be a rather luxurious job if I feel like switching sometime soon. Lara the Customs Officer. Hah. Snort.

Anyway, sorry for the long silence. I just have to start all over again because the customs guys are the ones with my new essays and pictures. I hope they are enjoying them along with their spliffs.

Lara