John McDonald (2)

Composer, pianist, and collaborative performer. Recently described as “the New England master of the short piece,” and a composer who tries to play the piano and a pianist who tries to compose. John McDonald is Music Department Chair and Professor of Music at Tufts University, where he teaches composition, theory, and performance. He served as Director of Graduate Music Studies from 2000 to 2010 and as Department Chair from 2000 to 2003. McDonald was named the 2007 MTNA-Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year by the Music Teachers National Association, and received the 2009 Lillian and Joseph Leibner Award for Distinguished Teaching and Advising from Tufts University. In 2010, he received the Waring Prize from Western Reserve Academy. His recordings appear on the Albany, Archetype, Boston, Bridge, Capstone, Neuma, New Ariel, and New World labels. His output concentrates on vocal, chamber, and solo instrumental works, and includes interdisciplinary experiments. Before coming to Tufts in 1990, he taught at Boston University, Longy School of Music, M.I.T., and the Rivers Conservatory. He was the Music Teachers National Association Composer of the Year in 2007, and served as the Valentine Visiting Professor of Music at Amherst College in 2016-2017. His newest recording is At All Device (Bridge Records 9528; a collection of piano works played by soloist David Holzman; 2020).