Photo: (Kirk Stauffer) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Natalie MacMaster is listed as a fiddler and musician. Natalie MacMaster was born on June 13, 1972 in Troy, Nova Scotia, Canada. The age as of 2026 is 54. Schooling on record includes Nova Scotia Teachers College. Recorded honors include Member of the Order of Canada, Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year (1999, 2000) and Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album (2009).
My Take
MacMaster fascinates me because she carried a hyper-local tradition, Cape Breton fiddling from rural Nova Scotia, straight onto the world stage without sanding off its roots. Sharing bills and recordings with Yo-Yo Ma, Santana, Faith Hill and Alison Krauss, plus a Grammy and Order of Canada, could have pushed her toward a glossier sound. Instead she kept the dirt-road energy intact. That, to me, is the harder and braver path: refusing to apologise for where your music comes from. Her bowing has a physical, dancing joy that recordings barely contain, and I would love to feel it live someday.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Natalie MacMaster
- Name (Japanese)
- ナタリー・マクマスター、ドネル・レーヒー
- Reading
- なたりー・まくますたー、どねる・れーひー
- Born
- June 13, 1972 (age 54)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rat
- Origin
- Troy, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Occupation
- fiddler / musician
2. Background
- University
- Nova Scotia Teachers College
Awards & achievements
- Member of the Order of Canada
- 1999 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year
- 2000 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year
- 2009 Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Natalie MacMaster born?
Born June 13, 1972 (age 54).
Where is Natalie MacMaster from?
Natalie MacMaster is from Troy, Nova Scotia, Canada.
What does Natalie MacMaster do?
Natalie MacMaster works as fiddler, musician.