Livestream: Watch Violinist Lara St John perform Bach, Coleman and Frank

June 13, 2021, 1:14 PM · Watch below: Violinist Lara St John takes the stage for the last of her Atterbury House Sessions, a series of 11 chamber music concerts featuring various artists that she curated and produced over the last six months. Originally from Canada, Lara began playing the violin when she was two, studying with Felix Galimir and Joey Corpus. An energetic and dynamic performer, she has played as a soloist with orchestras all over the world and made numerous recordings, founding her own record label, Ancalagon, in 1999. Her Mozart recording with The Knights won a Juno Award in 2011, and in 2020 Lara was invested with the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada. She owns and performs on the 1779 "ex-Salabue" Guadagnini.

The program begins with one of my all-time favorites, Bach's Sonata No. 3, which features the composer's longest-ever fugue - a top challenge for violinists and one heck of a feat in live performance. The Largo that follows is one of the most beautiful creations for violin. She also performs Valerie Coleman's Danza de la Mariposa, originally for flute and performed for the first time here on violin; as well as Gabriela Lena Frank's "Luciérnagas," five traditional tunes for violin, harp and bass. Enjoy!

PROGRAM:

Bach: Sonata # 3 in C Major BWV 1005
I. Adagio
II. Fuga
III. Largo
IV> Allegro assai
Valerie Coleman: Danza de la Mariposa (world premiere on violin)
Gabriela Lena Frank: Luciérnagas
Five Traditional Tunes (with violin, harp and bass)
I. Ca La Breaza (Romania)
II. Romanian Fantasy (Klezmer)
III. Canadian Celtic (PEI) Medley
IV. El Manisero (Cuban)
V. Teknosbéka Mókus (Hungarian)
With special guests Bridget Kibbey on harp and Eddy Khaimovich on bass.

The concert, which took place June 5, was the last the Atterbury House Sessions concert series, curated by Lara St John and celebrating the 150th anniversary of New York’s iconic Atterbury House.

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