Featuring:

Dance music by Tim Macdonald (fiddle) and Jeremy Ward (cello)
with Dick Hensold (pipes)

Join the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) Twin Cities at our 43rd Annual Grand Ball and Dinner. We are excited to welcome Chicago-based duo Tim Macdonald (fiddle) and Jeremy Ward (cello), who will be joined by St. Paul-based piper Dick Hensold.

A regular performer, scholar, composer, and teacher of early Scottish fiddle music, Tim Macdonald was the first US National Scottish Fiddling Champion to win on a Baroque violin. His performances with Trio Settecento, Susie Petrov, Colyn Fischer, the Bach and Beethoven Experience, and many others have taken him from New York City's Frick Collection to the villages of Indonesia, countless country and contra dances, Scotland's Blair Castle, and beyond. His radio appearances include WQXR classical radio (New York City), BBC Scotland's Take the Floor, WDCB (Chicago), and WBOM (Rockford). He is the chairman of the Chicago Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, the Musician-in-Residence for the Oak Park English Country Dancers, and is in demand for SCD balls, English country dances, contras, and "Playing for Dance" workshops across the country. He is perennially in charge of dance music at The Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling and has also played for English-Scottish-Contra Week (ESCape) at Pinewoods. He also plays the viola d'amore, harpsichord, and concertina, is an award-winning software developer, and ran the Chicago Marathon for charity.

Jeremy David Ward is a cellist whose musical inspiration and repertoire spans from Renaissance dance music to the post-tonal works of Saariaho and Dutilleux. As a performer of early bass instruments, he is a founding member of the 16th and 17th century brass and strings ensemble Rook. Rook has performed at the Boston and Madison Early Music Fringe Festivals. It was also chosen to participate in Carnegie Hall's Professional Training Workshop with L'Arpeggiata. In 2014, the group held a weekend residency at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and released its premier album, Eleven. Jeremy also enjoys musicking with other early music ensembles such as Three Notch'd Road and The Newberry Consort, where he has performed with historical performance luminaries Bruce Dickey, Paige Whitley-Bauguess and Tom Zajac. He is also a member of the Newberry Violin Band. Jeremy is a guest lecturer at Wheaton Conservatory where he teaches historical performance practice. He is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music and currently lives in and loves the great city of Chicago.

Thursday, 11 April 2019
Ball Practice I	7:30pm to 9:30pm at Olivet Congregational Church 1850 Iglehart Ave, St Paul, MN
Friday, 12 April 2019
House Concert with Tim Macdonald and Jeremy Ward, plus Dick Hensold	8pm at the home of Joe Dolson and Janna Kysilko We are thrilled to be co-sponsoring an intimate concert by Tim Macdonald (violin) and Jeremy Ward (cello), joined by Dick Hensold on Northumbrian smallpipes, reel pipes, and recorder. These three share a common love of driving Scottish traditional music and historical 18th-century interpretation that bridges the 7-hour drive between their homes in Chicago and Minnesota. They will play music in both traditional and historical 18th-century Scottish styles, but will also include original music based on traditional and 18th-century models. Tickets: $20 suggested donation. Space is limited, so advance registration is recommended. Please use the form/button below to reserve your seat(s) and pay online. Directions to the venue (in St. Paul's West Side) will be emailed to you after we receive your reservation. Suggested Donation Per Ticket: $20.00 USD $22.00 USD $25.00 USD Email address For those who do not wish to pay online, reservations can also be made via Joe and Janna's website
Saturday, 13 April
Ball Practice II	1pm to 3pm at Howe Campus of Hiawatha Elementary School 3733 43rd Avenue S., Minneapolis
GRAND BALL	Olivet Congregational Church 1850 Iglehart Ave, St Paul, MN 5:30 pm -- Doors open, socializing 6:00 pm -- Dinner is served 7:00 pm -- Grand March and Dancing [program] There will be a silent auction as a fundraiser to subsidize the cost of the ball weekend. If you have items (or service) to donate, please contact Nathan Wilkowski (odhaerir [at] gmail.com.)
After-Glow Party	There will be a party following the ball at the home of Sarah French and Kevin Geraghty in St. Paul. Directions available at the ball. Please bring food and/or drink to share.
Sunday, 14 April 2019
Brunch	Please join us for a potluck brunch, beginning at 10:30am at the home of Amy and Dean Muldoon in south Minneapolis. Directions available at the ball. Please bring food and/or drink to share.

Ball registrar: Maggie Voth, e-mail: registrar [at] rscds-twincities.org

Hospitality may be available for out of town guests in the homes of local dancers. Please email Carol Mordorski: carol.mordorski [at] gmail.com

Ball Chair: Daniel Beal, e-mail: debeal [at] usfamily.net

Download ball dance instructions

Links to individual dances below include crib notes and, in most cases, videos.

Download ball dance instructions (PDF)