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…
I just finished writing string quartet arrangements of three of the most well-known pieces in the Tango repertoire: Trenzas, Danzarin, and Romance de Barrio. I transformed each piece substantially from the original by changing the harmony, time signature, and rhythm but they still have the essence of Tango. They’re available in Read more…
My choral work; “When the Earth Stands Still”, has many many wonderful performances featured on youtube. Two of the best are done by The University of Johannesburg Choir and the Luther College Nordic Choir of Iowa, USA. So interesting to see how music can be interpreted so differently.
The male vocal ensemble “Cantus”, one of two professional male ensembles in the US (the other being Chanticleer), recently performed Tabula Rasa. Here is a short section of the review – “Over half of the pieces are from the 21st century, some coming from the choral world, others from pop Read more…
If you’re in Kelowna between March 15 and April 27 have a look at this video/audio installation at the Alternator Centre. “Check Check” features video by Ian Johnson that explores contemporary obsessive-compulsive behavior. With music by Don Macdonald in 4 speaker surround sound and looping projections on four giant screens, Read more…
I’ve been lucky to be asked to work on two sounds instillation pieces over the last year. The first, titled SUMMONING (No Words) is an interactive sound temple built of the female voice, a concept conceived by Nicola Harwood.Theatrical and immersive, the installation recalls the origins of artistic practice in ritual, Read more…