Raymond MacDonald is a saxophonist, composer and psychologist with an extensive career in music, cross-disciplinary arts and academia. Much of his work explores the boundaries and ambiguities between what is conventionally seen as improvisation and composition. As a saxophonist and composer, MacDonald has released over 60 CDs, toured and broadcast worldwide and has composed music for film, television, theatre, radio and art installations. He is currently Professor of Music Psychology and Improvisation at Edinburgh University and his recent book, The Art of Becoming: How Group Improvisation Works (co-authored with Graeme Wilson) explores the nature of improvisation. MacDonald has also co-edited five texts and published over 80 academic papers and book chapters.
Early life and education MacDonald was born in Glasgow (Scotland) to a family steeped in the arts (his father Hamish MacDonald was a contemporary artist) and studied at Glasgow University, where he obtained a PhD in psychology studying the therapeutic effects of music for individuals with learning difficulties. After completing his PhD, MacDonald worked as artistic director for Limelight, a music production company specialising in training and developmental opportunities for people with impairments.
Career as a musician MacDonald's work is informed by a view of improvisation as a social, collaborative and uniquely creative process that provides opportunities to develop new ways of engaging musically. He plays in many collaborative free improvisatory contexts, and his roots in jazz and pop music can be heard across all areas of his performance and composition. His unique approach of combining music and psychology and incorporating other artistic disciplines has been used to develop collaborative projects and ongoing working relationships around the world. He began his performing career playing guitar in Remember Fun, as part of the indie scene in Glasgow in the late 1980s and moved into jazz playing with saxophone quartet The Hung Drawn Quartet and a jazz trio, Another Hairdo.
MacDonald has collaborated with musicians across the spectrum of international contemporary music, such as Marilyn Crispell, George Lewis, David Byrne, Jim O'Rourke, Damo Suzuki, Kang Tae Hwan, Axel Dorner, Tatsuya Nakatani, Tony Buck, Michael Zerang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura. His list of UK collaborators is equally extensive, and includes Evan Parker, Nurse with Wound, Fred Frith, Keith Tippett, Barry Guy, Harry Beckett, Keith Rowe, Lol Coxhill, Maggie Nicols, Steve Noble, Steve Beresford, the London Improvisers Orchestra (LIO), and Future Pilot A.K.A. He is a founding member of the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra (GIO) and co-leads the George Burt-Raymond MacDonald Quartet. He plays with Alister Spence and Sia Xray in Sensaround and has long standing duo partnerships with Marilyn Crispel and Gunter "Baby" Sommer.
MacDonald instigates and collaborates on cross-disciplinary projects and has worked with visual artists, dancers, writers and filmmakers. Cross-disciplinary projects include collaborations with Christine Borland, Simon Starling, Martin Boyce, Douglas Copland, a BBC Radio 3 commission Between the Ears for Burt-MacDonald Quintet (BMacD5), and an ongoing collaboration Scarecrows & Lighthouses with Boyce and David Mackenzie. MacDonald has also worked with Mackenzie on film soundtracks, including Young Adam (2003), Outlaw King (2018) and short film What is Essential? that debuted on Netflix as part of their anthology series Homemade, (2020). Other contributions to music for film and TV include soundtracks for Nicolas Winding Refn's Valhalla Rising (2010), and Scottish Television series Taggert.
Selected collaborative projects
This is not improvised but that is: Lockdown 2020 (2020), with daughters Eva and Maria. Broadcast as part of Improvfest 2020, hosted International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, Guelph, Canada. Theatre of the Home (2021), with Maria Sappho Duet for two people who have never met (2020), with Rachel Joy Weiss. Return to Y'Hup: The world of Ivor Cutler (2020), a reimagining of the first release by Scottish poet and composer Ivor Cutler. Co-created with Matt Brennan and Malcolm Benzie. Still My Sleepy Fortunes (2019), new work commissioned by Creative Scotland to mark the centenary of Scottish writer Muriel Spark. Silent Music | Seeing Sound (2019), exhibition of graphic scores at The Royal Scottish Academy with ongoing collaborator Jo Ganter (visual artist and print maker). Together (2017), a new score commissioned by PRS Foundation with musician Christian Ferlaino for Lorenza Mazzetti's 1956 silent film. Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, founding member (2002–present) Guitar and Saxophone duo with musician Jer Reid
Discography
Albums +List of studio albums, with selected detailTitleAlbum detailsBaracuda Raymond MacDonald & Neil DavidsonIorram Records, 2021Contentment Remember Fun Firestation Records, 2021Sass Raymond MacDonald & Gordon MacLeanFMR Records, 2020Two Down to Eight Raymond MacDonald & Giles LambAbsentia Sound Works, 2020Return To Y'Hup – The World of Ivor Cutler Citizen Bravo Raymond MacDonald & FriendsChemikal Underground, 2020Seas in Cities Raymond MacDonald and George BurtTob Records, 2019HeartNoise Sensaround hellosQuare Recordings, 2019Energy Being Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & Maggie NicolsFMR Records, 2019Sound Hotel Alister Spence & Raymond MacDonaldAlister Spence Music, 2018Songs Along the Way Raymond MacDonald & Marilyn CrispellBabel Label, 2018Parallel Moments Unbroken Glasgow Improvisers OrchestraFMR Records, 2018Near & Far Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid Gruff Wit Records, 2018The Word For It Now Glasgow Improvisers OrchestraFMR Records, 2017GIO Sevens Glasgow Improvisers OrchestraTob Records, 2017Cast of Thousands Raymond MacDonald & Graeme Wilson Creative Sources Recordings, 2016Travelog Sensaround hellosQuare Recordings, 2016Isotropes Sensaround hellosQuare Recordings, 2015Parallel Moments Raymond MacDonald & Marilyn CrispellBabel Label, 2014Artificial Life Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra with George LewisFMR Records, 2014Schweben – Ay, but can ye?
(with Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & Barry Guy)Maya Recordings, November 2012Stepping Between the Shadows Alister Spence & Raymond MacDonaldRufus (RF95), April 2012Improcherto (with Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, Evan Parker & Lol Coxhil)Iorram Records, January 2012Linn Flax (with David Stackenas)Iorram Records, January 2011Buddy (The Raymond MacDonald International Big Band with Jim O'Rourke & Toby Hall)Textile Records, November 2010Cities (with Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, Neil Davidson & Tom Bancroft)January 2008Street Level (with Peter Nicholson) Iorram Records, 2009Metamorphic Rock with Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & George LewisIorram Records, January 2009Other Voices with Aoife Mannix Nu-Jazz Europe, 2009Constant Weave Raymond MacDonald & George BurtIorram Records, 2009Carnival Raymond MacDonald & Neil DavidsonIorram Records, 2008Separately & Together Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & London Improvisers OrchestraEmanem, 2008Falkirk Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & Barry GuyFMR Records, 2007Delphinius & Lyra Günter 'Baby' Sommer & Raymond MacDonaldClean Feed Records, 2007Dark in Light Corners Rich in KnucklesCreative Sources Recordings, 2007Aporias Raymond MacDonald, Tatsuya Nakatani, Neil Davidson, Peter Nicholson & Nick Fells Creative Sources Recordings, 2007One Bloke George Burt Raymond MacDonald QuintetTextile Records, 2007Flapjack Raymond MacDonald & Neil Davidson FMR Records, 2006Boo Hoo Fever George Burt - Raymond MacDonald Sextet Leo Records, 2007Listen Big Rich in KnucklesISIS Music, 2005The Great Shark Hunt George Burt - Raymond MacDonald SeptetFMR Records, 2005Which Way Did He Go? Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & Maggie NicolsFMR Records, 2005<Hotel Dilettante George Burt - Raymond MacDonald QuintetTextile Records, 2005A Day for a Reason George Burt - Raymond MacDonald Sextet with Keith TippettTob Records, 2005Asylum Giles Lamb & Raymond MacDonaldDeluge & Guitary, 2005Munich & Glasgow Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra & Evan ParkerFMR Records, 2004Pop Corn George Burt - Raymond MacDonald OctetFMR Records, 2004Coxhill Street George Burt - Raymond MacDonald Quartet with Lol Coxhill FMR Records, 2002Tsunami George Burt - Raymond MacDonald QuartetFMR Records, 2001Train Journeys Remember FunMatinee, 2001Hey There You Hosers Hung Drawn Quartet HDQ, 2001Big Brothers George Burt - Raymond MacDonald QuartetBMacD, 2000Oh Hello George Burt - Raymond MacDonald Quartet BMacD, 1998A Train in the Distance Hung Drawn QuartetHDQ,1995 +Contributions to, or tracks onTitleAlbum detailsGet while the getting is good Compilation Aufgeladen und Bereit, 2006Secrets from the Clock House Future Pilot AKACreeping Bent, 2006The Electronic Bible Chapter One CompilationWhite Label, 2004Lead us not into Temptation David ByrneThrill Jockey, 2003Salute Your Soul Future Pilot AKAGeographic, 2003You don't need darkness CompilationGeographic, 2002Séance at Hobbs Lane Mount Vernon Arts LabTopcities, 2001Tiny Waves Mighty Sea Future Pilot AKAGeographic, 2001Be-Bop to Hip-Hop Compilation Demus, 1996The Rise of the Phoenix Compilation Optimum, 1989Airspace CompilationEGG Records 1989A Lighthouse in the Desert CompilationEGG Records 1989
Academic career Between 2000 and 2012, MacDonald worked in the Psychology Department at Glasgow Caledonian University, where he led the Glasgow Caledonian Music Psychology Research Group. Since 2012, he has held the position of Professor of Music Psychology and Improvisation at Edinburgh University and was Head of The School of Music between 2013 and 2016. He was editor of the journal Psychology of Music between 2006 and 2012. He runs workshops and lectures internationally on issues relating to composition, improvisation, music education, health and wellbeing and musical communication.
Publications
Books
MacDonald, R. and Wilson, G. (2020), The Art of Becoming: How Group Improvisation Works New York: Oxford University Press.
Edited books
MacDonald R.A.R, Miell D & Hargreaves D.J. EDS (2017), The Oxford Handbook of Musical Identities Oxford: Oxford University Press. MacDonald R.A.R, &. Kreutz, G Mitchell, L.A., EDS (2012), Music, Health and Wellbeing Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hargreaves D.J. Miell D & MacDonald R.A.R, EDS (2012), Musical Imaginations Oxford: Oxford University Press. Miell, D. MacDonald R.A.R, & Hargreaves D.J. EDS (2005), Musical Communication Oxford: Oxford University Press. MacDonald R.A.R, Miell D & Hargreaves D.J. EDS (2002), Musical Identities Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Selected refereed journal articles & book chapters
MacDonald, R.A.R, Burke, R.L. De Nora, T, Sappho Donohue, M. and Birrell, R. (2021) Our Virtual Tribe: Sustaining and Enhancing Community via Online Music Improvisation Frontiers in Psychology. MacDonald, R.A.R. and Birrell, R. (2021) Flattening the curve: Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra's use of virtual improvising to maintain community during COVID-19 pandemic. Critical Studies in Improvisation. MacGlone, U. M.; Vamvakaris, J.; Wilson, G. B. & MacDonald, R. A. R. (2020) 'Understanding the effects of a community music programme for people with disabilities: a mixed-methods, person-centred study'. Frontiers in Psychology.
References
External links (for recording work)