William J. Drancsak III (Jimmy) is a violinist and violist based in the New York City area. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Jimmy holds a Master’s Degree in Historical Performance and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Violin Performance from the SUNY Fredonia School of Music.

He has performed internationally with Juilliard415 and appears throughout the United States with various Baroque ensembles and modern orchestras, including Les Arts Florissants, New York Baroque Incorporated, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Teatro Nuovo, and La Fiocco. Aside from large-ensemble playing, Jimmy performs with the In Nomine Ensemble and the Arrow Quartet and was a participant in the Baroque and Classical Academy at the Carmel Bach Festival.

A native of Skaneateles, New York, Jimmy grew up in the North American fiddle tradition. He maintains a deep interest in Celtic, Bluegrass, and East European fiddling, often blending his folk background with a passion for 17th- and 18th-century repertoire. In addition to his performance career, he is a dedicated educator; he previously served as an Orchestra Director in the Liverpool Central School District and currently leads a weekly fiddle session at Juilliard, bringing the tradition of rote-learning to classically trained musicians.