Robin McDonald

A native Minnesotan and recent graduate of Bennington College, Robin holds a bachelor’s degree in folk music, grounding his work in both scholarship and living tradition. Robin is an old time banjoist, he studied the banjo at Bennington under the multi-instrumentalist/banjo and fiddle champion/legendary dance caller John Kirk. He also recently toured the East Coast performing traditional repertoire, and his musical practice bridges folk and classical worlds. Although he recieved classical training in voice in high school at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, Robin specializes in Appalachian and Scottish ballad singing, with a deep commitment to preserving and sharing story-driven song traditions.

Robin is especially passionate about music education and the formative power of early musical experiences. Inspired by musicians like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie who carried traditional music into new generations through the public education system, Robin views exposure to folk song and community music-making as essential to cultural heritage and identity. His work aims to create meaningful, participatory spaces where young people can connect with tradition, develop their voices, and experience music as a living, shared practice.