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The Virginian-Pilot
Sep 22, 2005
Soloist backs up image with virtuosity
BY LEE TEPLY AND DAN DUKE
 VIVALDI’S “The Four Seasons” was written 280 years ago. How does an orchestra make that current and relevant for an audience today?
For one thing, said maestro JoAnn Falletta, human nature hasn’t changed so much that we can’t still appreciate Vivaldi’s sound portrait of the beautiful and fearful aspects of the seasons.
But it also helps to bring in a tall, beautiful, blond violinist who has been called a renegade violin. But that was nine years ago.
It is her virtuosity that keeps her on stages with orchestras all over the world, said Falletta.
“She backed it up with spectacular playing.”
St. John, 32, was near the front of a wave of female soloists marketed for their looks as well as their musicianship – a move that doesn’t trouble the violinist or the maestro.
“If it opens the doors for someone to classical music, it’s a wonderful thing,” said Falletta.
St. John is used to being out front.
She started playing violin at age 2 at her home in London, Ontario. She was performing in European concert tours at age 10, which led to her entrance at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at 14.
Four years and a degree later, she attended the Moscow Conservatory. But the Soviet Union was falling apart, and her lessons ceased. She took the chance to travel the country, seeing its people and learning the language. Along the way she met gypsies, who helped her develop her expressive musical style and taste for travel.
Back in the States, she studied at Mannes College of Music in New York and the New England Conservatory in Boston. From there, her career took off.
Her debut CD, “Bach Works for Violin Solo,” caused a stir in 1996. People magazine devoted a full page to St. John. “If an unusual picture helps sell the album, so be it,” she was quoted as saying.
In subsequent CDs and performances, St. John embellished her reputation as a passionate, dynamic, expressive violinist.
Her first recording with Sony Classics, called “re: Bach,” is her most unusual. It transforms Baroque into New Age with additional instruments, electronic effects and computer techniques with fascinating results.
Her popularity reached new levels this spring when her Bach concerto recording appeared on iTunes and quickly hit the No. 1 spot in classical listings.
St. John plays with Bowfire, an eclectic ensemble that mixes jazz, bluegrass and Texas fiddling with Celtic, Hungarian and Chinese traditions.
She worked with Falletta in Buffalo a couple of years ago. (Falletta is the concert master for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.)
The maestro knew she wanted to introduce this artist to Virginia. Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” is a big favorite here, Falletta said.
Although it’s quite old, it still is fresh and vibrant and leaves room for interpretation. Enter St. John.
“We’re all very intrigued about Lara coming,” Falletta said.
Both St. John and Falletta share an interest in broadening the audience for classical music.
The maestro said she supports the new generation of women who bring a new type of beauty to the classical music world.
Would Falletta ever have considered posing in a similar manner for a CD cover?
After a hearty laugh, she said: “Conducting is different. You’re a leader. You have to be a little more careful about the presentation of the conductor.”
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The Virginia Symphony Orchestra with a complement of 79 professional musicians under the direction of Grammy-nominated Music Director JoAnn Falletta performs 140 concerts annually, reaching 200,000 concert goers every season in venues throughout the region. Our education and outreach programs reach 53,000 students and adult learners every year. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is the cultural cornerstone of the performing arts in Hampton Roads.
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