For their second CD on the ATMA label, violinist Jonathan Crow and pianist Paul Stewart dive into the world of Prokofiev’s chamber music. In 1938, after hearing a Handel violin sonata, Prokofiev decided to try composing in this musical genre which he had never before attempted, and began drafting his first violin sonata. The Sonata no. 2 for violin and piano in D major, op. 94 bis, is a transcription of a work originally written for flute.

Since fall 2011, Jonathan Crow has been Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He is also first violin of the New Orford String Quartet. An avid chamber musician, Jonathan has performed at chamber music festivals throughout North America, South America and Europe including the Banff, Ravinia, Orford, Domaine Forget, Seattle, Montreal, Ottawa, Festival Vancouver, Pernambuco (Brazil), Giverny (France), and Strings in the Mountains festivals.

Since his orchestra debut with the Toronto Symphony in 1981, Nova Scotia-born Paul Stewart has become on Canada’s best-known musicians, appearing frequently with the Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg Symphonies, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the National Arts Center Orchestra, I Musici de Montréal and other major orchestras in Canada and abroad. Paul Stewart is a Professor of Piano at the Université de Montréal.