Dr Aaron McGregor

Biography

I am a Lecturer in Music Performance at the University of Aberdeen and a freelance violinist. I grew up in Orkney and studied at the University of Edinburgh, before undertaking postgraduate degrees at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the University of Glasgow, where I completed a PhD in 2020 under Dr David McGuinness and Professor John Butt. 

As a performer, my background ranges across a spectrum of styles, including modern & baroque violin, and Scottish traditional fiddle. I am particularly interested in 17th and 18th-century Scottish fiddle music, performing regularly with Scots Baroque and Concerto Caledonia, with whom I have made four recordings, given several live performances on BBC Radio 3 and Radio Scotland, and toured Ireland, Finland, and Australia. I've also performed with ensembles such as Scottish Ensemble, Scottish Ballet, RSNO, Dunedin Consort, Manchester Camerata, the Cinematic Orchestra, the GRIT orchestra, the Evergreen Ensemble (Australia), and Les Musiciens de Saint Julien (France). As a guest leader, I have appeared with the Barsanti Ensemble, the Glasgow Barons and Amicus Orchestra. I also led the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the RCS Symphony and Opera orchestras. 

My research interests include the history of traditional and classical music in Scotland, early dance music, and the Historically Informed Performance movement, thinking about its relevance and use across genres. My PhD research focussed on the violin in Scotland in 1550-1750, exploring a far earlier history of the instrument in Scotland than previously considered, through study of performers and repertoire. My work has uncovered a thriving tradition, with vernacular music interacting with a surprisingly cosmopolitan range of styles. This work redefines the beginnings of Scottish fiddle music, forcing a rethink on Scotland’s cultural insularity. 

Internal Memberships

Performance Coordinator 

Concerts Committee

Teaching Responsibilities

I coordinate and lecture the six undergraduate performance courses, and I supervise MMus performers.