An artist of remarkable versatility, John Macfarlane is a sought-after orchestral leader, chamber musician, conductor, vocalist, and educator. He is Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Artistic Director of Rembrandt Chamber Musicians, Guest Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Visiting Director of Chamber Music for the University of Chicago.
As a chamber musician he is a featured artist with Rembrandt Chamber Musicians, Bach Week, Rush Hour Concerts series, Dame Myra Hess series, and Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
He has performed as guest concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony and held the position of concertmaster with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, and Spoleto Festival. He has also performed with the The Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
A dynamic advocate for the arts, he is a frequent masterclass clinician for the Betty Haag School and New Music School and presents motivational seminars to advanced youth orchestras.
He received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and Certificate in Music Theatre from Northwestern University and a Master of Music in Violin Performance from University of Maryland.
