Tim Macdonald & Jeremy Ward are a touring Scottish fiddle duo who combine traditional fiddling with historical scholarship to create a musical experience that has been described as everything from "cutting-edge" and "metal" to "classic" and "baroque". Using period instruments and mixing High Baroque chamber music with high-energy dance tunes, their music is at times soulful and at time electrifying, but always moving.
Praised for his “athletic” and “impressive and stylistically Scottish playing” (Dr. John Turner & Dr. Melinda Crawford), Tim Macdonald is a regular performer, scholar, composer, and teacher of early Scottish fiddle music.
Tim was the first US National Scottish Fiddling Champion to win on a Baroque violin, and his performances with Trio Settecento, Susie Petrov, Colyn Fischer, the Bach and Beethoven Experience, and many others have taken him from New York City’s Frick Collection to the villages of Indonesia, countless country and contra dances, Scotland’s Blair Castle, and beyond. Recent projects include helping to perform Scotland’s first opera, The Gentle Shepherd, in full for the first time in over two centuries, lecturing on applying the rhetorical ideas of the Scottish Enlightenment to modern fiddling, playing fully-staged Elizabethan jigs with Steve Player, joining classical superstar Rachel Barton Pine for an encore of traditional tunes following her performance of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, and serving as music and dancing master at a thoroughly-researched recreation of a 1770s American tavern. His radio appearances include WQXR classical radio (New York City), BBC Scotland’s Take the Floor, WDCB (Chicago), and WBOM (Rockford).
His debut album, The Wilds (with cellist Jeremy Ward), celebrates the diversity of Scottish fiddle music in the 18th century, and has been described as “fresh and yet authentic sounding” (Dr. John Purser) and “a belter” (Dr. David McGuinness).
He is the chairman of the Chicago Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, the Musician-in-Residence for the Oak Park English Country Dancers, and is in demand for SCD balls, English country dances, contras, and “Playing for Dance” workshops across the country. He is perennially in charge of dance music at The Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling and has also played for English-Scottish-Contra Week (ESCape) at Pinewoods.
In addition to performing, Tim runs a private teaching studio and teaches at fiddle camps and clubs. His compositions won first place at the first two Scottish FIRE Composition Competitions and are now available in print. A “remarkably capable” scholar as well as a player (Johann Buis), Tim was an Arthur and Lila Weinberg Fellow at the Newberry Library, where he researched the period-correct performance of Scottish-Baroque music, focusing on the work of Robert Mackintosh. He has guest lectured at Wheaton College (IL), the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music (Plockton, Scotland), and elsewhere, and presented his paper on Mackintosh at the 2017 Musica Scotica conference in Stirling. He also plays the viola d’amore, harpsichord, and concertina, serves on the board of the Great Lakes Baroque (with artistic director Jory Vinikour) and on the leadership team of his local church, is an award-winning software developer, and ran the Chicago Marathon for charity.
As a player of bass instruments, Jeremy David Ward specializes in playing well with others. Whether Renaissance dance and consort music with the Newberry Violin Band or continuo with his 17th-century winds and strings band Rook, or the one-man rhythm-bass-harmony-countermelody in his 18th-century Scottish fiddle duo with award-winning fiddler Tim Macdonald, or modern cello collaborations with singer/songwriter Fernando Ortega, Jeremy delights in crafting foundations on which an ensemble can thrive. He is also the principal cellist of the Chicago Arts Orchestra which performs newly recovered pieces of the Mexican Baroque repertoire.
Jeremy has also soloed vocally with the Newberry Consort as well as his duo Tim & Jeremy. He has been a founder and organizer for the last three years of the Chicago folk music showcase The Midwest Sing and Stomp. He led a weekend residency at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in historical performance, and is in his 4th year of residency as a Guest Lecturer in Early Music at Wheaton Conservatory of Music. He is also on faculty at Triton College where he teaches cello and other music classes.
August 22 2016 | Tim Macdonald & Jeremy Ward (The Fightin’ Seahorses) play a contra dance The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
August 25 2016 | Tim Macdonald, Jeremy Ward, and The BBE at a Scottish Folk Night Big Bricks, 3832 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL • 5pm |
August 27 2016 | Tim Macdonald & Jeremy Ward (The Disgruntled Porcupines) at Rogers Pork Jarvis Ave east of Ashland, Rogers Park, Chicago, IL • 3:30pm |
September 2 2016 | The Midwest Sing & Stomp, with music from Tim Macdonald & Jeremy Ward at 10pm Red Line Tap, 7006 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL • 6pm |
September 8 2016 | Tim Macdonald, Jeremy Ward, and The BBE at a Scottish Folk Night The Scottish Home, 2800 Desplaines Ave, North Riverside, IL • 5pm |
September 24 2016 | The Gentle Shepherd with Tim Macdonald, Jeremy Ward, and The BBE The Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
September 25 2016 | The Gentle Shepherd with Tim Macdonald, Jeremy Ward, and The BBE Theater Wit, 1229 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
September 28 2016 | Tim & Jeremy and Spitzer & Mareva at Uncommon Ground 1401 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
March 6 2017 | Tim, Jeremy, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Heather Malyuk form a contra super group! The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
March 18 2017 | Tim and Jeremy at Uncommon Ground, followed by Artemisia Uncommon Ground Lakeview, 3800 N Clark St, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
March 20 2017 | English Country Dance, preceded by a lecture-concert on Robert Mackintosh of Tulliemet Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL • 6:45pm |
March 30 2017 | Elizabethan Music for the Renaissance Society of America’s 2017 Convention with the Newberry Violin Band Palmer House, 17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL • 7:30pm |
April 2 2017 | Fiddle Workshop for the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club Plymouth Congregational Church, 582 Pleasant St., Belmont, MA • 2pm |
April 4 2017 | House Concert Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA • 7:30pm |
April 5 2017 | Concert with The Vox Hunters Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA • 9:30pm |
April 6 2017 | House Concert Moon Township (near Pittsburgh), PA • 7pm |
April 7 2017 | House Concert Medina, OH • 7pm |
April 8 2017 | Brunch House Concert Cleveland, OH • 11:30am |
April 8 2017 | House Concert Indianapolis, IN • 7:30pm |
April 22 2017 | Paper presentation for Musica Scotica: “Robert Mackintosh of Tulliemet: A Statistical and Sociocultural Analysis” (just Tim) The Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, Stirling, Scotland |
April 29 2017 | Frottole with the Newberry Violin Band Newberry Library, 60 W Walton St, Chicago, IL • 2pm |
May 6 2017 | House concert (album sneak peek!) Lakeview East, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
May 16 2017 | Indy Contra Dance Indianapolis, IN • 7pm |
May 20 2017 | English Country Dancing Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, IL • 5pm |
June 10 2017 | A Gaelic Summer preview with the Bach and Beethoven Ensemble for the Bella Voce Gala Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
July 1 2017 | Montepelier Contra Dance Capital City Grange, Montepelier, VT • 8pm |
July 2 2017 | Workshop for the Champlain Valley Scottish Fiddle Club Middlebury, VT • 2pm |
July 2 2017 | Concert presented by the Champlain Valley Scottish Fiddle Club Middlebury, VT • 7pm |
July 3 2017 | ESCape Week at Pinewoods Pinewoods, MA • Until July 7 |
July 11 2017 | House Show with Old Lazarus’ Harp Ledyard, CT (RSVP for precise address) • 7pm |
July 12 2017 | Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp Jalopy Theatre, Brooklyn, NY • 8:30pm |
July 13 2017 | Square Dance with Old Lazarus’ Harp Threes Brewing at Franklin + Kent, Brooklyn, NY • 8pm |
July 15 2017 | Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp Hamlin Street Diner, 1334 Hamlin St NE, Washington, DC • 7pm |
July 18 2017 | House Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp Blacksburg, VA • 7pm |
July 20 2017 | House Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp Roanoke, VA • 7pm |
July 22 2017 | Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp The Sloop Clearwater, Beacon, NY |
July 23 2017 | Teaching at The Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling (just Tim) Valle Crucis, NC • Until June 30 |
September 2 2017 | Midwest Sing & Stomp with the Newberry Consort Violin Band Beat Kitchen, Chicago, IL • All day |
September 15 2017 | Urbana Contra Dance Urbana, IL • 7pm |
October 16 2017 | Contra dance (Chicago Barn Dance Company) The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
November 4 2017 | Album Release Party Galway Arms, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
November 6 2017 | Album Release Party Old Fort Niagara, Buffalo, NY • 7pm |
November 7 2017 | Album Release Party Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA • 7pm |
November 13 2017 | Pat Shaw Centenary Celebration (English country dance) The Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL • 7pm |
December 7 2017 | Courtroom Concert The Schubert Club, St. Paul, MN • 12pm |
December 8 2017 | House concert St. Paul, MN • 7pm |
December 11 2017 | English country dance The Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL • 7pm |
December 29 2017 | House concert. Overbooked! No more spots available, sorry! New Castle, DE • 7:30pm |
January 13 2018 | UChicago Contra Dance Ida Noyes Hall, University of Chicago • 7pm |
January 17 2018 | World Music Wednesday Old Town School of Folk Music, 4545 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL • 8:30pm |
January 20 2018 | New Year’s Ball, RSCDS-Chicago Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 7pm |
January 21 2018 | New Year’s Tea Dance, RSCDS-Chicago Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 11:30am |
January 22 2018 | Contra Dance The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
January 29 2018 | English country dance The Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park, IL • 7pm |
February 2 2018 | Contra Dance Urbana, IL • 8pm |
February 4 2018 | Around Town Concert Series Music Institute of Chicago, Lake Forest, IL • 2pm |
February 5 2018 | House Concert Pembroke, VA • 7pm |
February 6 2018 | Concert at Penick Village Southern Pines, NC • 1:30pm |
February 7 2018 | Fiddling for Fort Dobbs Southern Distilling Company, Statesville, NC • 6:30pm |
February 8 2018 | World Music Guest Lecture High Point University, High Point, NC • 12:40pm |
February 9 2018 | House Concert Beaver Dam, VA • 7pm |
February 10 2018 | Concert at Big Lick Brewing Roanoke, VA • 7pm |
February 11 2018 | House Concert Medina, OH • 7pm |
February 12 2018 | Concert at the Standing Rock Art Gallery Kent, OH • 7pm |
February 19 2018 | English Country Dance in Honor of Ignatius Sancho Oak Park, IL • 7pm |
February 27 2018 | World Music Guest Lecture Northwestern University, Evanston, IL • 2pm |
March 14 2018 | St. Patrick’s Day Concert with Old Lazarus’ Harp Paddy O’Fegan’s, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
April 3 2018 | Tartan Day Celebration The Duke of Perth, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
April 12 2018 | Improvisation Workshop Wheaton Conservatory of Music, Wheaton, IL • 7pm |
April 29 2018 | House Concert with Dick Hensold Chicago, IL • 7pm |
April 30 2018 | Contra Dance with Dick Hensold The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
June 1 2018 | Kirk and a Sesh with the BBE Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL • 7:30pm |
June 6 2018 | Kirk and a Sesh with the BBE St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, IL • 7pm |
June 15 2018 | Newberry Violin Band at Music in the Mountains Cumberland, MD • 8pm |
June 17 2018 | Alexander’s Feast at Music in the Mountains Cumberland, MD • 3pm |
August 10 2018 | House Concert (RSVP to tim@timandjeremy.com) Chicago, IL • 7pm |
August 16 2018 | House Concert (RSVP to gailhmacdonald@verizon.net) Sewickley, PA (near Pittsburgh) • 7:30pm |
August 17 2018 | Concert at the Hamlin Street Diner Washington, DC • 7:30pm |
August 19 2018 | House Concert and Jam (RSVP to jeansvan@gmail.com) Middlebury, VT • 7pm |
August 20 2018 | House Concert (RSVP to quakeryousay@gmail.com) Montpelier, VT • 7pm |
August 22 2018 | Concert and Barn Dance with piper Peter Walker (RSVP to jewalker@vassar.edu) Hyde Park, NY • 7pm |
September 1 2018 | Country Dancing at the Midwest Sing & Stomp Chicago, IL • 2pm |
October 5 2018 | The Fall of the Leaf house concert, with Brandon Acker. (RSVP to tim@timandjeremy.com for details.) Chicago, IL • 7pm |
October 19 2018 | Will Kemp Returns, Elizabethan jigs with The Newberry Consort. Intermission show: Tim & Jeremy play wild airs frae the North Ruggles Hall, The Newberry Library, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
October 20 2018 | Will Kemp Returns, Elizabethan jigs with The Newberry Consort. Intermission show: Tim & Jeremy play wild airs frae the North The International House, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
October 21 2018 | Will Kemp Returns, Elizabethan jigs with The Newberry Consort. Intermission show: Tim & Jeremy play wild airs frae the North Galvin Hall, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL • 3pm |
November 30 2018 | St. Andrew’s Day Balmoral Restaurant, Campton Hills, IL • 6pm |
December 7 2018 | Concert: To Drive the Cold Winter Away Seman Violins, 4447 Oakton St, Skokie, IL • 7pm |
December 30 2018 | House concert (contact us for details) Arden, DE • 4pm |
December 31 2018 | Hogmanay Ball (with Dave Wiesler) Germantown Friends School Field House, Philadelphia, PA • 8pm |
January 5 2019 | House concert (contact us for details) Chicago, IL • 7pm |
January 19 2019 | New Year’s Ball Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 7pm |
January 20 2019 | New Year’s Tea Dance Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 3pm |
January 25 2019 | Burns Night with the Bandicoots Balmoral Restaurant, Campton Hills, IL • 7pm |
February 11 2019 | Contra dance with the Bandicoots Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
February 9 2019 | Ceilidh with the Bandicoots for the University of Glasgow Burns Supper, Chicago University Club of Chicago, IL • 7pm |
March 2 2019 | Lenten house concert with Emily Nott (contact us for details) Chicago, IL • 7pm |
April 28 2019 | Fiddle performance with Rachel Barton Pine for the Illinois Symphony Gala Springfield, IL • 5pm |
August 16 2019 | Even Wilder (event link). Contact me for details or to RSVP Uptown, Chicago, IL • 7:30pm |
August 17 2019 | Even Wilder (event link). Contact me for details or to RSVP Garfield Park, Chicago, IL • 7:30pm |
September 23 2015 | Music of the British Isles with an Italian Twist with the Bach and Beethoven Ensemble Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave., Chicago, IL • 6pm |
October 12 2015 | House concert with Jeremy Ward Wicker Park (contact Tim for address), Chicago, IL • 7pm |
October 25 2015 | Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship Blair Castle, Perthshire, Scotland |
October 26 2015 | Dunkeld and District Strathspey and Reel Society Dunkeld, Scotland • 7:30pm |
October 29 2015 | Concert with Jeremy Ward at The National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music. Preceded by a workshop. Plockton, Scotland |
December 7 2015 | Caledonian Regency Ball called by Susan de Guardiola with Jeremy Ward and Jonathan Whitall Oak Park, IL • 7pm |
December 16 2015 | Colloquium on “Folk but Baroque: Re-examining the Performance Practice and Genre of 18th-century Scotland” with Jeremy Ward and David Schrader Towner Fellows’ Lounge at The Newberry Library, Chicago, IL • 4pm |
January 15 2016 | Private event with Jeremy Ward Chicago, IL • 7pm |
January 16 2016 | Scottish Country Dance Ball with Jeremy Ward Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 7pm |
January 17 2016 | Scottish Tea Dance with Jeremy Ward Baker Community Center, St. Charles, IL • 1:30pm |
February 5 2016 | Old Lazarus’ Harp February Concert with Jeremy Ward The Galway Arms, 2442 N Clark St, Chicago, IL • 8pm |
February 25 2016 | Private lecture on musical styles Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL |
February 27 2016 | University of Glasgow Chicago Burns Supper with Jeremy Ward, Brandi Berry, and Mady Newfield Chicago, IL |
March 6 2016 | Scottish workshop for the Fiddle Club of the World (Chicago Chapter) with Jeremy Ward Seman Violins, 4447 Oakton St, Skokie, IL • 7:30pm |
March 19 2016 | House Concert: Co-Latha Breith Sona feat. Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward Lakeview, Chicago, IL (Contact Tim for details) • 7:30pm |
June 6 2016 | Tim Macdonald & Jeremy Ward with the Degenerate Train Puns play a contra dance The Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago, IL • 7pm |
June 17 2016 | Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward at the Chicago Highland Games Hamilton Lakes, Itasca, IL • 8:15pm |
June 18 2016 | Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward at the Chicago Highland Games Hamilton Lakes, Itasca, IL • 11:30am |
June 18 2016 | Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward at the Chicago Highland Games Hamilton Lakes, Itasca, IL • 3pm |
July 15 2016 | Two concerts at the Jane Austen Festival with Jeremy Ward Louisville, KY |
May 17 2015 | Free Scottish performance with Jeremy Ward The Duke of Perth, Chicago, IL • 2pm |
June 20 2015 | Scottish concert with Jeremy Ward at the Chicago Highland Games Hamilton Lakes, Itasca, IL • 11:30AM & 3:00pm |
July 9 2015 | Midwest Fiddle Championship Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL • 6:30pm |
July 11 2015 | Midwest Fiddle Championship Finals Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL • 1:45pm |
Interested in having Tim and Jeremy play at your event? Book them now!