Conductors

John Roderick Mac Donald Conductor

In a  most recent concert in the Gewandhaus zu Leipzig Maestro John Roderick MacDonald conducted E.Grieg’s “Peer Gynt”  of which the Leipzig Volkszeitung wrote “Seldom do you hear this piece with so much character and transparency. Every tone was placed perfectly. Instead of thunder-hall in the Hall of the Mountain King, detailed virtuosity. The main reason for this is that MacDonald’s direction is compact and unbelievable precise.” (Feb. 3, 2007)

Mr. MacDonald performed his debut as conductor with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1997 in Leonard Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" and has since appeared with such orchestras as the MDR Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Ruhrfestspiele, Orchester der Musikakademie des Mozarteums Salzburg, Mendelssohn Orchester Leipzig, Riesaer Sinfoniker, Elbland Philharmonie, Leipzig Philharmonic, Hallenser Akademisches Orchester, Leipzig Baroque Soloists,  Westfaelische Philharmonie, Camerata Leipzig, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra and Chorus. Most recently, he conducted a live recording of Richard Strauss's Alpine Symphony on the Euro Arts label with members of the Gewandhaus Orchestra (Jan. 2006) and performed Schumann's Fourth Symphony at the 'St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. He also led the Leipzig Philharmonic  in A. Dvorak’s  9th Symphony in e-minor.

Under his direction, the Stelzenfestspiele and Orchestra attract record numbers of concert-goers each year and were praised by the German press agency DPA as "Germany's most original music festival." Mr. MacDonald has also performed the opening concerts of the highly acclaimed 2001 Ruhrfestspiele at which he conducted the premiere of Stravinsky's "L'histoire du Soldat," featuring renowned actor Klaus Maria Brandauer. During the 2004/2005 season, Roderick MacDonald made his debut with the MDR-Radio Symphony Orchestra.  Mr. MacDonald is the featured conductor on three CD recordings: A. Dvorak's Symphony from the New World,  Frank's d-minor Symphony,  and Mendelssohn's 5th “Reformation” Symphony.
Mr. MacDonald's has appeared worldwide as a trumpet soloist. His concert career as soloist began after Kurt Masur, then Music Director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, appointed him Principal Trumpet of the orchestra in 1989. Since then, Mr. MacDonald has performed as soloist with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic, Virtuosi Saxonia, Bach Collegium Munich, Leipzig Bach Orchestra, Leipzig Chamber Orchestra,  Concerto Leipzig, Kammerphilharmonie Leipzig,  and the Super World Orchestra (Tokyo). The most recent of his many solo recordings was named "CD of the Month" by Naxos in December 2003.  In July/August 2003, the American Record Guide wrote: "MacDonald is an outstanding player who strives more for elegance and grace" "His style is regal and vocal, and his sweet tone is rounder and darker than we usually hear from trumpet players, baroque or otherwise. I would call it the quintessential German sound - from an American trumpet player..."

A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Mr. MacDonald began piano and trumpet lessons at young age, studied Mechanical Engineering at University of Rhode Island and Music at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston (MM 1988). He was awarded the Leonard Bernstein Fellowship at Tanglewood in 1982. A student of Maestro Kurt Masur, Roderick MacDonald participated at the Conductor's Seminar in Tanglewood and studied with Maestro Bernard Haitink. He completed his conducting studies at the Leipzig Conservatory and was the winner of the  “Deutsche Dirigenten Forum” in Leipzig in 1994.  In 2001, Mr. MacDonald received the Honorary Title of  "Kammermusiker"  from the city of Leipzig.

Maestro MacDonald resides in New York and in Leipzig, Germany.