Jesse MacDonald, at age 16 is currently a member of the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and Billings Youth Orchestra. He is Concertmaster of Bozeman High School Symphony I and Kamerata, and has previously held Concertmaster positions with Montana All-State Orchestra, Beverly Hills Chamber Orchestra, and Interlochen Symphony Orchestra.
Jesse has won the MASO Concerto Competition, Junior Division and the Umpqua Young Artist Competition, resulting in solo guest performances. He was a laureate of the Musicfest Northwest Competition, Minnesota Symphonia Competition and Couer d’Alene Concerto Competition. Other performances include All-Northwest Honors Orchestra, Meritage String Quartet, and at Interlochen, Red Lodge Music Festival, String Youth Orchestra Workshop, and Madeline Island, Wisconsin.
He performs regularly as first violin with the Vivace String Quartet, Duo Dolce and the Evelina String Quartet, which has toured throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Jesse has taken part in master classes with Hilary Hahn, Rachel Barton-Pine and Midori. Jesse’s parents and Becky and John MacDonald, and his teachers are Carrie Krause and Stephan Cepeda. He plays on a French-made, 1912 Coretelli Violin.