Personal profile

Biography

Alistair MacDonald is a composer & performer based in Glasgow. Much of his work is collaborative; working with performers, artists and choreographers from different media and backgrounds, he makes work for performance, broadcast and installation internationally.

Research interests

His work encompasses field recording, live electronics, interactivity and improvisation with live electronics. Recent works include music for voice and electronics (AD 1136  for Stephanie Lamprea, 2023; Gun ghrian  for Taylor Wilson, 2022) Collaborative projects include The moss and the cosmos , (film with Kim Beveridge, commissioned by The Cumnock Tryst 2021); music for the 1922 film Nosferatu with Phil Minton (UK) and Vlady Bystrov (Germany); three works with dance company Reckless Sleepers (UK and Belgium 2018-22); The Last Post with trumpet player Tom Poulson and director Susan Worsfold commissioned by the St Magnus Festival 2016 and selected for the Made in Scotland showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe 2017; Strange Rainbow, a live electroacoustic duo with Scottish harp player Catriona McKay (performances include Celtic Connections, sound festival in Aberdeen and the Norwegian Film Festival); and work with Carrie Fertig, on music for glass percussion, electronics and live flame-working, including Le Sirenuse, selected for the Royal Scottish Academy Open Exhibition 2015 and Flames and Frequencies selected for the Coburg Prize for Contemporary Glass 2014.

Other works include:

The Imagining of Things with Brass Art (video and audio installation) for Huddersfield Art Gallery and the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Mitaki (string quintet and live electronics) for the Scottish Ensemble, and a number of acousmatic works; Interactive, performative installation Sensuous Geographies, in collaboration with Sarah Rubidge (shown in the UK and USA) awarded a Creative Scotland Award in 2002; Silver Wings and Golden Scales (2007), an installation in collaboration with Jennifer Angus, commissioned for the Chazen Museum of Art in Wisconsin; SeaUnsea (2006), an interactive dance and video work with programmer Chiron Mottram, choreographer Carol Brown and architect Mette Ramsgard Thomsen premiered at Dance Umbrella 2006 at the Siobhan Davies Studios.

Other commissions include music for The Scottish Ensemble, The Paragon Ensemble, BBC Radio Scotland, Reeling and Writhing, the Australian ensemble Elision, choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh and Theatre Cryptic.

His music is published by the Canadian label empreintes DIGITALes.

Teaching commitments

He teaches composition and directs the Electroacoustic Studios at the RCS where he was made a Fellow of the Royal Conservatoire in 2012 and Professor in 2017.

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
  • Aud the Deep Minded: Aud

    MacDonald, A. (Performer), 22 Oct 2024

    Research output: Performances, compositions and other non-textual formsPerformance

  • OSTEGO

    MacDonald, A. (Performer), Lamprea, S. (Performer) & Craig, R. (Performer), 5 Jul 2024

    Research output: Performances, compositions and other non-textual formsCD/DVD/other digital output

  • Speaking in wings

    MacDonald, A. (Performer), Brænder, M. (Performer) & Otto, C. (Performer), 2 Aug 2024

    Research output: Performances, compositions and other non-textual formsPerformance

  • The Legend of Kuokkamummo

    MacDonald, A. (Performer), McKay, C. (Performer), Stout, C. (Performer), Hautala, T. (Performer) & Hautala, M. (Performer), 30 Oct 2024

    Research output: Performances, compositions and other non-textual formsPerformance

  • AD 1136

    MacDonald, A. (Performer), 28 Sept 2023

    Research output: Performances, compositions and other non-textual formsComposition