Molly Werts McDonald, a native of Fairway, Kansas, joined the RPO in October of 2013 as Acting Assistant Principal Second Violin. Molly Werts is the first intern in Pegasus Early Music’s Developing Artist Program. She received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music in May 2011. She became addicted to Early Music during her Junior year, which can be blamed almost entirely on her Baroque Performance Practice teacher, Paul O’Dette. Since then she has been fortunate to work with many other renowned artists such as Christel Thielmann, Elizabeth Wallfisch, and Kristian Bezuidenhout.

McDonald grew up playing music with both of her parents, and gained exposure to chamber music and orchestral playing through local festivals in Kansas City. In the coming years she attended many other summer festivals including the Interlochen Arts Camp, the Castleman String Quartet Program, the Round Top Festival Institute, the National Repertory Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, and the Tanglewood Institute. Prior to the RPO, she was Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Canton Symphony Orchestra, and she has made appearances with the Kansas City Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the New World Symphony.

During her education, McDonald explored Early Music, Balinese Gamelan, folk, and many other styles of music. She is passionate about teaching and playing chamber music, and continues to do both in addition to her position with the RPO.