2019 Stingray Rising Star Award recipient and 2020 ICCC first prize winner, Virginia MacDonald has established herself as a respected and sought after musician in the Canadian jazz scene.
Known for her lyrical and soulful clarinet playing, Virginia has been described as a "powerful new voice in the Canadian scene" by Juno Award-winning bassist Mike Downes.
Virginia grew up in a musical family, and began playing her main instrument, clarinet, at the age of seven. Since then, she has performed extensively as both a leader and side woman at several venues across Toronto, including Koerner Hall, The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, The Jazz Bistro, and The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar. Virginia has performed in several Canadian and International jazz festivals including the Cambridge Jazz Festival, the Jaipur Jazz & Blues Festival, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, the Beaches International Jazz Festival, the Kensington Market Jazz Festival, the TD Markham Jazz Festival and the Cape Breton Jazz Festival. Virginia has had the opportunity to work internationally in the United States, India, and Europe.
She appeared on Juno Award-winning saxophonist Kirk MacDonald's 2013 big band release, Common Ground, and his latest 2018 release with the great Harold Mabern, Generations: Ballads & Standards.
In addition to her busy performance schedule, Virginia is an in demand educator and has given workshops at universities and post-secondary music programs both locally and internationally. She has led masterclasses at McGill University (Montreal), the Global Music Institute (Delhi), and the True School of Music (Mumbai). Virginia currently holds the Assistant Head of Jazz position at Toronto community outreach/non-profit organization Discovery Through the Arts, and is on the faculty at the Bob Mover Academy of Music, alongside legends such as Charles MacPherson, Sheila Jordan, and Billy Drummond.
At this point in her career, Virginia is now focusing on composing and performing her own music. Her debut album is set to be released in 2021 and is comprised of original compositions written for jazz quintet.
