Jump to content

Jonathan Crow

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jonathan Crow
Born (1977-10-19) October 19, 1977 (age 47)
Prince George, British Columbia
Genres
InstrumentViolin

Jonathan Crow is a prominent Canadian violinist. He has been the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's concertmaster beginning in 2011. From 2002 to 2006, he was concertmaster of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM).

Crow was born in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Performances and Recordings

[edit]

In addition to his role as Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra beginning in 2011, Crow maintains a strong performance and recording schedule as a soloist.

Crow plays a 1738 del Gesù Guarneri violin.[1]

Crow recorded solo violin works of J. S. Bach and Béla Bartók.[2]

Crow recorded the solo violin sections in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's 2013 recording of Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade conducted by Peter Oundjian for Chandos Records.[3] One music reviewer of BBC Music Magazine claimed that "The main hero of this recording is the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's [concertmaster], Jonathan Crow. His Sheherazade...is a feisty, fearless and engaging storyteller...Crow's playing is almost enough to make this recording a prime version."[4]

Crow performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto in February 2014 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. One reviewer wrote that "If we expect concertmasters to play it safe, Crow was in no mood to confirm the stereotype. There were many nips and tucks and changes of tempo that kept conductor Thomas Dausgaard busy on the podium. Most effective was the plucky finale, with a sudden, surprising start. The Larghetto was heartfelt; the first movement, personable rather than celestial. Detached phrasing (and even a few rugged spots) invited us to admire the music close-up rather than from afar...The crowd greatly appreciated Crow’s approach."[5]

Crow participated in and played the solo passages of the performance of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Peter Oundjian.[6]

Crow performed with other members of the TSO Chamber Soloists in the Mozart Clarinet Quintet.[7]

Crow participated in the TSO performance of Wagner's Siegfried Idyll conducted by Peter Oundjian shortly before Oundjian completed his music directorship with the orchestra.[8]

Crow has continued as Concertmaster with the TSO under the current directorship of Gustavo Gimeno, performing in Gimeno's inaugural concert which included the Ravel Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2.[9]

In 2021, he performed the Beethoven "Spring" sonata for violin and piano with Angela Park, a professor of piano at University of Western Ontario.[10]

In 2022 Crow performed the Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin, No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 with pianist Philip Chiu.[11]

In January 2023, Crow performed the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tarmo Peltokoski.[12] One reviewer noted that "...listeners voted with their feet and the thunderous multiple standing ovations for guest conductor Tarmo Peltokoski and violinist Jonathan Crow...the intensity and seriousness of Crow’s playing, his warmth, and technical mastery (highlighted in the brilliant cadenza) are well known to TSO fans...in Crow’s hands, Brahms’s only violin concerto is sheer beauty."[13]

In the 2023-2024 concert season, Crow performed the Violin Concerto of Béla Bartók with both the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and with the Oakville Symphony Orchestra.[14][15]

On 2 and 4 October 2025, Crow will perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has performed many violin concertos.[16]

On 23 November 2025, Crow will participate in a concert at St. John the Evangelist Church in London, Ontario, Canada with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra Chamber Soloists.[17] He will perform the Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042 by J.S. Bach and also the Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C Minor, BWV 1060R by J. S. Bach with oboist Sarah Jeffrey, Principal Oboe of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

He is also a violinist in the New Orford String Quartet.[18][19]

Teaching

[edit]

In 2005 Jonathan Crow joined the Schulich School of Music at McGill University as Assistant Professor of Violin and was appointed Associate Professor of Violin in 2010. He is currently Associate Professor of Violin at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Concertmaster and the Violin. Jonathan Crow, violin., September 28, 2011, retrieved 2025-06-17
  2. ^ Works for Solo Violin. Jonathan Crow, violin., July 27, 2021, retrieved 2023-12-25
  3. ^ Rimsky-Korsakov. Sheherazade, Op. 35:, July 27, 2021, retrieved 2023-12-25
  4. ^ Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35. Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Peter Oundjian. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8045746--rimsky-korsakov-scheherazade-op-35#reviews
  5. ^ Concert review: Author of the article:By Arthur Kaptainis. https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/music/concert-review-beethoven-and-nielsen-a-dynamic-tso-duo
  6. ^ Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis / Peter Oundjian · Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Jonathan Crow, violin., December 12, 2014, retrieved 2025-06-17
  7. ^ Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K.581: II. Larghetto ·/ The TSO Chamber Soloists. Jonathan Crow, violin., May 19, 2015, retrieved 2025-06-17
  8. ^ Wagner: Siegfried Idyll / Peter Oundjian · Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Jonathan Crow, violin., March 2, 2018, retrieved 2025-06-17
  9. ^ Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2 · Gustavo Gimeno · Toronto Symphony Orchestra., October 15, 2019, retrieved 2025-05-07
  10. ^ Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata with Jonathan Crow and Angela Park. Junos: The Classical Session., July 27, 2021, retrieved 2023-12-25
  11. ^ Beethoven's Sonata for Piano and Violin, No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 with Jonathan Crow and Philip Chiu., July 27, 2021, retrieved 2023-12-25
  12. ^ Review | TSO: Tarmo Peltokoski and Jonathan Crow Memorable. https://myscena.org/andrea-rush/review-tso-tarmo-peltokoski-and-jonathan-crow-memorable/
  13. ^ Review | TSO: Tarmo Peltokoski and Jonathan Crow Memorable. https://myscena.org/andrea-rush/review-tso-tarmo-peltokoski-and-jonathan-crow-memorable/
  14. ^ Kindred Spirits Orchestra. https://ksorchestra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/KSO-2023-2024-concert-season-brochure-web-1.pdf
  15. ^ Oakville Symphony Orchestra. https://issuu.com/oakvillesymphonyprograms/docs/os_23-34_season_brochure_v5_for_online_2
  16. ^ Jonathan Crow Plays Mendelssohn. https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/jonathan-crow-plays-mendelssohn
  17. ^ The Jeffery Concerts. https://www.jefferyconcerts.com/season2526/concerts2526.html#tso
  18. ^ Crawford, Trish (18 November 2014). "Jonathan Crow stands tall as TSO concertmaster". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  19. ^ New Orford String Quartet / Westben Digital Concert at The Barn., April 17, 2021, retrieved 2025-06-17
Stub icon

This article on a violinist or fiddler is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonathan_Crow&oldid=1296739562"