Biography All Media Guide Wikipedia
Scottish fiddler Catriona MacDonald (pronounced "Catrina" ) hails from the Shetland Isles, which produced the talent of famed fiddler Aly Bain. However, MacDonald is not overshadowed by the greats before her. She has been honing her craft since her early childhood, in which she won the title of Young Fiddler of the Year at the 1981 Shetland Folk Society competition. Later, MacDonald won a scholarship to play with Sheltand's Young Heritage. Due to such passion for her native background and her desire for playing music, MacDonald was also awarded the BBC Radio Two Young Tradition Award in 1991 and went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London. An awe-inspiring musician, Catriona MacDonald has molded herself into a fine artist and perfected her singing as well. She formed a professional relationship with praised piano accordion player Ian Lowthian and set up a school for local children in hopes of spreading the word and cultural background behind Shetland's most beloved music. MacDonald never ignored her love for the Shetland musical traditions and her warmth is captured on her first album, Bold, which was released in early 2000.
from Wikipedia:
Catriona McDonald is a musician and teacher from Shetland and is considered to be one of the world's leading traditional fiddle players.
Background
MacDonald started studying fiddle with Dr Tom Anderson MBE in 1981 at age 11 (she considers herself to be a late starter), was a founding member of Shetland's Young Heritage and won the Shetland Young Fiddler of the Year competition in 1983. In 1992 MacDonald won the "BBC Radio Two Young Tradition Award" and went on to study voice for four years at the Royal College of Music in London. After graduating she moved to the borders area of Scotland to focus on her professional fiddle playing.
MacDonald is an active teacher with a passion for sharing her knowledge of traditional fiddle techniques and vernacular. She now teaches on the BMus Folk degree at Newcastle University and has worked as a tutor on Scottish Music Degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, and the Universities of Limerick and Stirling. Catriona regularly tutors at a variety of summer schools and residential courses including "Burwell Bash", "Shetland Fiddle Frenzy", "Folkworks" and "Blazin' in Beauly" (Blazin' Fiddles' own summer school)
As well as her own band, MacDonald plays with Scottish fiddle band Blazin' Fiddles, the female fiddle band String Sisters and folk big band The Unusual Suspects.
