Roddy (R.S.) MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Roddy MacDonald is a Pipe Major
, living in Australia, and a renowned composer of tunes for the bagpipes.
Roddy MacDonald originally hails from the Scottish town of Inverness
. His father is the renowned player, judge and composer of music, William MacDonald (of Benbecula
) and his grandfather, Donald MacDonald, was Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion the Highland Light Infantry
. http://www.musicscotland.com/acatalog/Roddy_MacDonald.html
Roddy’s music has been recorded by a variety of artists and bands, including The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, The Black Watch, The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, The Scots Guards, Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
, Shooglenifty
, The Tannahill Weavers
, MacUmba, Ceolbeg, Slainte Mhath
, Martyn Bennett
, Gordon Duncan
and many more, like The Finlay MacDonald Band.
He was originally taught by the late John Hunter, tutor with the Inverness Boys Brigade Pipe Band, an ex-Cameron Highlander and veteran of the Somme. After the Boys Brigade, Roddy played with the Inverness British Legion, Invergordon Distillers and British Caledonian Airways Pipe Bands. He also played for many years with the Balmoral Highlanders showband in London and toured extensively with them under the direction of his lifelong friend Pipe Major Willie Cochrane.
Roddy has had outstanding success as a composer of music with inclusions in over 50 recordings to date. In 1986 he published the Clanranald Collection of bagpipe music and in 2003 released his debut album ("Good Drying") which has received a considerable number of rave reviews in the international music press.
In 2001 Roddy left London after a 26 year stopover and currently resides in Australia and Japan where he is employed as a professional musician.
In 2001 Roddy was commissioned by the Piper and Drummer Magazine and GHB Communications of Toronto to compose a modern Piobaireachd. The piece was entitled Lament for Kenneth Alexander MacLennan of Connon Bridge and was published later that year.
On the 15th March 2006 at Government House, the Governor of Queensland appointed Roddy MacDonald as ‘The Governor’s Piper’ and presented him with her personal standard, to be flown from his bagpipes during Vice-Regal occasions. http://www.clandonald.org.uk/cdm00/cdm00a13.htm
Pipe Major
The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".Civillian and military...
, living in Australia, and a renowned composer of tunes for the bagpipes.
Roddy MacDonald originally hails from the Scottish town of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. His father is the renowned player, judge and composer of music, William MacDonald (of Benbecula
Benbecula
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,249, with a sizable percentage of Roman Catholics. It forms part of the area administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar or the Western...
) and his grandfather, Donald MacDonald, was Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
. http://www.musicscotland.com/acatalog/Roddy_MacDonald.html
Roddy’s music has been recorded by a variety of artists and bands, including The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band, The Black Watch, The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, The Scots Guards, Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band affiliated with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada . The band has consistently placed in the top three in world competition and has won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships six times: 1995, 1996, 1999,...
, Shooglenifty
Shooglenifty
Shooglenifty are an Edinburgh-based six-piece Celtic fusion band that tours internationally. The band blends Scottish traditional music with influences ranging from electronica to alternative rock...
, The Tannahill Weavers
The Tannahill Weavers
The Tannahill Weavers are a popular band who performs traditional Scottish music. Releasing their first album in 1976 they became notable for being one of the first popular bands to incorporate the sound of the Great Highland Bagpipe in an ensemble setting, and in doing so helped to change the...
, MacUmba, Ceolbeg, Slainte Mhath
Slainte Mhath
Slainte Mhath were a celtic fusion band from Cape Breton Island. The band features traditional instruments associated with Celtic music, intertwined with elements of dance, funk, and electronic music. Slainte Mhath have toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia...
, Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett
Martyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
, Gordon Duncan
Gordon Duncan
Gordon Duncan was a Scottish bagpiper. He began playing at the age of eight, taught initially by Bill Hepburn then by his father and his older brother Ian Duncan, himself a successful piper and Pipe Major...
and many more, like The Finlay MacDonald Band.
He was originally taught by the late John Hunter, tutor with the Inverness Boys Brigade Pipe Band, an ex-Cameron Highlander and veteran of the Somme. After the Boys Brigade, Roddy played with the Inverness British Legion, Invergordon Distillers and British Caledonian Airways Pipe Bands. He also played for many years with the Balmoral Highlanders showband in London and toured extensively with them under the direction of his lifelong friend Pipe Major Willie Cochrane.
Roddy has had outstanding success as a composer of music with inclusions in over 50 recordings to date. In 1986 he published the Clanranald Collection of bagpipe music and in 2003 released his debut album ("Good Drying") which has received a considerable number of rave reviews in the international music press.
In 2001 Roddy left London after a 26 year stopover and currently resides in Australia and Japan where he is employed as a professional musician.
In 2001 Roddy was commissioned by the Piper and Drummer Magazine and GHB Communications of Toronto to compose a modern Piobaireachd. The piece was entitled Lament for Kenneth Alexander MacLennan of Connon Bridge and was published later that year.
On the 15th March 2006 at Government House, the Governor of Queensland appointed Roddy MacDonald as ‘The Governor’s Piper’ and presented him with her personal standard, to be flown from his bagpipes during Vice-Regal occasions. http://www.clandonald.org.uk/cdm00/cdm00a13.htm