Choral Music Newsletter August 2023 It’s that time of year again when some of you may be planning your next choral music season so here’s a short newsletter plus a link to a list of available compositions. You can download my choral catalogue here. Here is a link to my Read more…
I’m excited to be singing and playing violin at the Star Belly Jam along with a great band. Mike Rud and Doug Stephenson on guitars and Rob Fahie on bass.
On May 12, 13, and 14 Chor Leoni Men’s Choir performed two of my new works – “The Grace of Light” and “Dolcissima Mia Vita“. The Grace of Light was performed at the VanMan Choral Festival at the Chan Cenntre (in Vancouver) with over 200 singers and Dolcissima Mia Vita Read more…
After being out there for 6 months Shifting Sands (my jazz violin fusion album) has garnered some attention and some nice reviews. Here are just a few: One of the “Five new B.C. indie albums to take in this season” Stuart Derdeyn, The Vancouver Sun “It probably goes without saying Read more…
On Oct 3, 2021 the Victoria Symphony will be playing my composition titled “The Rapids” in a reading session of new works. I’m thrilled to get this opportunity to workshop the piece before it gets it’s premiere performance.
I’m so honoured and thrilled to be selected as the new Composer in Residence for Chor Leoni Men’s Choir. An added bonus was to see this wonderful video created for the choir’s year-end concert. These performances were recorded in June, 2021 under strict COVID-safety protocols. Following workshops and rehearsals with Read more…
I’m in the last stages of mixing my first jazz album of original material titled “Shifting Sands”. Shifting Sands fuses jazz and bluegrass with world music modalities and, due to COVID, the album was recorded remotely with each artist recording their material at home in their own studios. It features Read more…
The wonderful women’s vocal ensemble Papagena has just released their latest album Hush and the first track on the album is my composition Moonset. Wow! This group’s musicianship is incredible. What a wonderfully nuanced performance that tastefully conveys the mood of th beautiful poetry by Emily Pauline Johnstone. Have a Read more…
Click on the link below to download this year’s newsletter with links to new compositions and recordings. Don Macdonald Choral Music 2019.pdf
I recently received two commissions for new choral works. Elektra Women’s Choir has commissioned me along with 9 other Canadian composers to set the amazing “Lost Words: A Spell Book” to music and the Malaspina Choir has commissioned me to write a piece celebrating their 50th anniversary. More abut Lost Read more…