Jonathan Crow
{{Short description|Canadian violinist (born 1977)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| name = Jonathan Crow
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| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|10|19}}
| birth_place = Prince George, British Columbia
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| instrument = Violin
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| associated_acts = New Orford String Quartet
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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
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.{{Citation |title=The Concertmaster and the Violin. Jonathan Crow, violin. | date=September 28, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Y9JDFik08 |access-date=2025-06-17 |language=en}}
Crow recorded solo violin works of J. S. Bach and Béla Bartók.{{Citation |title=Works for Solo Violin. Jonathan Crow, violin. | date=July 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuFf_D081SQ&list=OLAK5uy_l3W5vQY18tjQUQq_iNBsMc49foXzv5H6g |access-date=2023-12-25 |language=en}}
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.{{Citation |title=Rimsky-Korsakov. Sheherazade, Op. 35: | date=July 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym-zghbJoIk&list=OLAK5uy_lArXrXQzfqlz_QHmga-S_HilOZkGi9Lxc |access-date=2023-12-25 |language=en}} 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."Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35. Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Peter Oundjian. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8045746--rimsky-korsakov-scheherazade-op-35#reviews
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."Concert review: Author of the article:By Arthur Kaptainis. https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/music/concert-review-beethoven-and-nielsen-a-dynamic-tso-duo
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.{{Citation |title=Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis / Peter Oundjian · Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Jonathan Crow, violin. | date=December 12, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBIrfLsmOs |access-date=2025-06-17 |language=en}}
Crow performed with other members of the TSO Chamber Soloists in the Mozart Clarinet Quintet.{{Citation |title=Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K.581: II. Larghetto ·/ The TSO Chamber Soloists. Jonathan Crow, violin. | date=May 19, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcJi30mCmVU |access-date=2025-06-17 |language=en}}
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.{{Citation |title=Wagner: Siegfried Idyll / Peter Oundjian · Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Jonathan Crow, violin. | date=March 2, 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlBIrfLsmOs |access-date=2025-06-17 |language=en}}
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.{{Citation |title=Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2 · Gustavo Gimeno · Toronto Symphony Orchestra.| date=October 15, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGlACsbVYqU&t=261s |access-date=2025-05-07 |language=en}}
In 2021, he performed the Beethoven "Spring" sonata for violin and piano with Angela Park, a professor of piano at University of Western Ontario.{{Citation |title=Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata with Jonathan Crow and Angela Park. Junos: The Classical Session. | date=July 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D8Ef0IPDW0 |access-date=2023-12-25 |language=en}}
In 2022 Crow performed the Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin, No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 with pianist Philip Chiu.{{Citation |title=Beethoven's Sonata for Piano and Violin, No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 with Jonathan Crow and Philip Chiu. | date=July 27, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHEJHPRHXIw |access-date=2023-12-25 |language=en}}
In January 2023, Crow performed the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tarmo Peltokoski.Review | TSO: Tarmo Peltokoski and Jonathan Crow Memorable. https://myscena.org/andrea-rush/review-tso-tarmo-peltokoski-and-jonathan-crow-memorable/ 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."Review | TSO: Tarmo Peltokoski and Jonathan Crow Memorable. https://myscena.org/andrea-rush/review-tso-tarmo-peltokoski-and-jonathan-crow-memorable/
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.Kindred Spirits Orchestra. https://ksorchestra.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/KSO-2023-2024-concert-season-brochure-web-1.pdfOakville Symphony Orchestra. https://issuu.com/oakvillesymphonyprograms/docs/os_23-34_season_brochure_v5_for_online_2
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.Jonathan Crow Plays Mendelssohn. https://www.tso.ca/concerts-and-events/events/jonathan-crow-plays-mendelssohn
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.The Jeffery Concerts. https://www.jefferyconcerts.com/season2526/concerts2526.html#tso 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.{{cite web |last1=Crawford |first1=Trish |title=Jonathan Crow stands tall as TSO concertmaster |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/jonathan-crow-stands-tall-as-tso-concertmaster/article_1a265969-8764-50cf-97a5-d05a752712ab.html |website=Toronto Star |date=18 November 2014 |publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. |access-date=25 August 2023}}{{Citation |title=New Orford String Quartet / Westben Digital Concert at The Barn. | date=April 17, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7b_nTg-A1Y |access-date=2025-06-17 |language=en}}
Teaching
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
- [https://music.utoronto.ca/person/jonathan-crow University of Toronto Faculty of Music Biography]
- [https://www.tso.ca/performer/jonathan-crow Jonathan Crow TSO biography]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140724212251/http://www.arts-orford.org/en/academie/professors/jonathan-crow-2/ Jonathan Crow Centre d'arts Orford biography]
References
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Category:Canadian classical violinists
Category:Male classical violinists
Category:People from Prince George, British Columbia
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century classical violinists
Category:21st-century Canadian male musicians
Category:Academic staff of McGill University
Category:21st-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers
Category:Canadian male violinists and fiddlers
Category:Concertmasters of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
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