A superstar violinist is playing in the Okanagan this week.

Lara St. John – who was born in London, Ont. – will be playing Russian masters Stravinsky and Shostakovich on three dates.

She will be in Kelowna on Friday, Penticton on Saturday and Vernon on Sunday.

The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and music director Rosemary Thomson have teamed up with St. John to put on the show, “Festive Fire”, for Okanagan classical fans.

They will play the Violin Concerto No. 1 and the Festive Overture by Shostakovich as well as the Firebird Suite by Stravinsky.

Photo credit: OSO

St. John has the benefit of long intimacy with the works, having studied in Russia.

“The Shostakovich concerto is pretty much at the top of my list of violin concerti,” said St. John.

“Written under extreme duress just a year after the Second World War, it had to be shelved due to Stalin, and has now become one of the great 20th century violin concertos.”

She’s also no stranger to the cities she will be playing.

“I’m very happy to be returning to the Okanagan, my favourite wine country on earth, to play this great concerto that leaves no one untouched,” she explained.

She will play at the Kelowna Community Theatre on Friday from 7:30 p.m.

Her Penticton show will be at the Cleland Theatre on Saturday, also from 7:30 p.m.

The Vernon performance will be at the District Performing Arts Centre on Sunday from 7 p.m.

For tickets, head to okanagansymphony.com/tickets