Kirsty MacLeod

bio

"her versatility, ability and conscientiousness will mean she will be excellent in all fields of playing"

Kirsty is a qualified and experienced violinist. She holds a master of Art with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music and a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During her studies she won numerous prizes including the Hilda Bailey prize for Violin, the Mabel Globel prize for Chamber Music, the Thomas and Margaret Roddan Scholarship, the Wolfson Scholarship, the Donald Dewar Scholarship, as well as support from the Open Music Foundation. Kirsty is a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in Violin teaching.

Kirsty has vast performance experience and performs on a regular basis in a variety of ensembles ranging from Symphony Orchestra to String Quartet.  As a keen chamber musician, she is delighted to have been invited to festivals such a Mendelssohn on Mull, Festival MusicAlpe and the Cantelina Music Festival. With the Corran Quartet of which she was a founding member, she was invited to be Quartet in Residence at Music Cordiale International Festival in France, as well as being on the Britten-Pears Young Artist programme for 2021. Kirsty enjoys working with orchestras including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Oxford Phil,  Manchester Camerata, and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. With these orchestras, Kirsty has performed abroad in Japan, Germany, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Austria. Kirsty holds the position of Sub-Principle First Violin of the English National Ballet Philharmonic. She also enjoys smaller chamber work with ensembles including Orpheus Sinfonia and Piccadilly Sinfonietta. She has collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra to record for British Airways and has memorable experiences performing with the Czech Philharmonia and Juilliard Symphony Orchestra.

Kirsty is passionate, positive and enthusiastic, and very much enjoys making music of all different genres. She has performed onstage alongside numerous artists including Ed Sheeran live at the Brit Awards, Nothing But Thieves for BBC Sport, Evanescence, Adam Lambert live on ITV, Marti Pellow live on ITV's 'This Morning,' Susan Boyle, the Snuts, Rufus Wainwright, Natasha Bedingfield, Lemar, Father John Misty, Unknown T, NSG, Mnelia, Griff Rhys Jones and Erland Cooper, with whom she performed with as principle violin for his 2021 tour and live on BBC Radio 3. Kirsty performs regularly as a deputy violinist on west end shows such as Andrew Lloyd Weber's Cinderella, Les Miserables and Guys and Dolls.  She thoroughly enjoys creating new music which has led her to recording film-scores and tracks for the BBC and contemporary artists including Anne-Marie at Abbey Road Studios, and has performed for notable artists including Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Kirsty has studied Baroque Violin with Simon Standage at the Royal Academy of Music, Traditional Scottish Fiddle with Alistair Mcculloch at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, as well as learning piano from a young age through to it becoming her second study instrument throughout her Bachelor degree. Kirsty feels lucky to have learnt from some notable musicians and educators, including Maureen Smith, Catherine Manson, Joshua Fisher, Ian Brown, Andrea Gajic, James Boyd, Steve Orton, Levon Chilingirian, Aaron Shorr and Simon Standage.

Alongside her performing career, Kirsty teaches piano at the Stewart Bilingual School. Kirsty is a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in Violin teaching, holds a Child Protection in Education (Music) Certificate (issued by the Musician's Union) and has an enhanced DBS. Kirsty is proud to be a co-founder of the award winning live music company Dahlia Music of which she manages the London base.

In her spare time, Kirsty loves running as a member of her local running club, cycling, reading and indulging in some other interests. This has led her to gaining a Diploma in Nutrition, as well as qualifications from the Open University in Social Psychology and Politics, Religion and Conflict, and Global Ethics. Part-time, Kirsty  has also studied to become a Paralegal and is a member of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals. 

Kirsty is grateful to the Harrison-Frank foundation to be playing on a beautiful Silvestre violin.