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Composer  

 

Colin MacDonald was a Canadian composer and performer who was born on May 22, 1960, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. From a young age, MacDonald was exposed to a wide range of musical styles and began playing the piano at the age of four. MacDonald's early musical education was primarily focused on classical piano, and he studied with renowned pianist Jane Coop at the University of British Columbia. However, he was also drawn to jazz and began playing saxophone in high school. MacDonald went on to study jazz saxophone at the Banff Centre for the Arts and later at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Throughout his career, MacDonald was known for his versatility as a performer and composer, blending elements of classical, jazz, and world music in his works. He was particularly interested in exploring the intersections between different musical traditions and often incorporated non-Western instruments and techniques into his compositions. One of MacDonald's early works was his 1985 composition "Three Pieces for Piano," which was inspired by the music of Claude Debussy and featured impressionistic harmonies and textures. He also began experimenting with electronic music around this time, using synthesizers and other electronic instruments to create new sounds and textures. In the 1990s, MacDonald began to gain recognition as a composer, with several of his works being performed by major orchestras and ensembles. One of his most notable works from this period was his 1993 composition "The Garden of Cosmic Speculation," which was commissioned by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and inspired by the garden of the same name in Scotland. The piece featured a wide range of instruments, including bagpipes, harp, and percussion, and was praised for its imaginative use of sound and texture. MacDonald continued to explore new musical territories in the 2000s, incorporating elements of Indian classical music and other non-Western traditions into his compositions. One of his most ambitious works from this period was his 2007 composition "The Unquiet Suite," which was inspired by the music of Indian classical composer Ravi Shankar. The piece featured a large ensemble of Western and Indian instruments, including sitar, tabla, and violin, and was praised for its innovative fusion of different musical styles. In addition to his work as a composer, MacDonald was also an accomplished performer, playing saxophone and other instruments in a variety of contexts. He was a founding member of the Turning Point Ensemble, a Vancouver-based chamber ensemble that specialized in contemporary music, and also performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and other major orchestras. MacDonald's contributions to the world of classical music were widely recognized, and he received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In 2010, he was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to Canadian music. He was also a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts' Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in the arts. Sadly, MacDonald passed away on January 16, 2019, at the age of 58.

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