Catriona Macdonald is a musician, composer, researcher and lecturer from Shetland and is considered to be one of the world's leading traditional fiddle players.^[1]

Macdonald started studying fiddle with Dr Tom Anderson MBE^[2] in 1981 at age 11 (she considers herself to be a late starter^[3]), was a founding member of Shetland's Young Heritage^[4] and won the Shetland Young Fiddler of the Year competition in 1983.^[5] 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. She lives in Scotland and focuses both on an her international music playing and an academic career .^[6]

Macdonald is an active teacher with a passion for sharing her knowledge of traditional fiddle techniques and vernacular.^[7] Professionally she is Chair of Undergraduate Board of Studies and Degree Program Director for BA in Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University^[8] as well a Doctoral candidate. Catriona has worked as a tutor and course assessor for the Scottish Music Degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, and has taught at Universities in Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Canada and Australia as well as Stirling and Highlands and Islands in Scotland. Catriona regularly tutors at a variety of summer schools and residential courses around the world including "Burwell Bash",^[9] "Shetland Fiddle Frenzy",^[10] "Folkworks"^[11] and "Blazin' in Beauly" (Blazin' Fiddles' own summer school).^[12]

Catriona tours and performs at many International Festivals such as Celtic Colours, Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, Celtic Connections and many others As well as her own band, Macdonald currently plays with international members of fiddle band String Sisters (Annbjørg Lien, Liz Knowles Liz Carroll, Emma Härdelin and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh ) as well as touring in duo with Annbjørg Lien and also Timo Alakotila. She has been a member of The Unusual Suspects and was a member of Scottish fiddle band Blazin' Fiddles until 2011.