KJ McDonald

KJ (Kenneth Joshua) McDonald began his musical journey listening to violin recordings of Itzhak Perlman alongside his father’s rock-and-roll albums. After an adventurous childhood in Southern California, he pursued formal studies in New York City, where he later worked with Perlman himself—a formative full-circle moment.

KJ studied at The Juilliard School with Perlman and Catherine Cho, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a full-scholarship Kovner Fellow. He continued his training at New England Conservatory, where he studied with Donald Weilerstein as a member of the Professional Piano Trio in Residence.

A dedicated chamber musician, KJ is the founding violinist of Trio Eris, with which he has received major competition recognition, including Second Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and finalist appearances at both the Young Concert Artists and Naumburg Competition. He has collaborated with distinguished artists including Vivian Weilerstein, Joseph Kalichstein, Kim Kashkashian, Paul Katz, and others.

Deeply influenced by both classical and contemporary traditions, KJ is an active advocate for new music. He has worked with leading composers such as Steve Reich, Thomas Adès, Kaija Saariaho, Tan Dun, Jörg Widmann, and John Adams.

He has performed at major venues including Royal Albert Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Jordan Hall. Recent highlights include his debut performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the Miami Symphony Orchestra. He has participated in renowned festivals such as Lucerne Festival Academy, IMS Prussia Cove, Perlman Music Program, and Yellow Barn.