RMacD.com

Composition

As a composer, I spend much of my time composing music for various ensembles, as well as some television programmes. Much of my work this year has been focused on examinations in composition.

Over the past couple of years, I have developed an interest in the technological side of music, and I take great pleasure in engineering and synthesizing sounds. A couple of recent compositions have been entirely based on sound, mainly for experimentation purposes.

Recent Works

Many of the most recent works, aside from 'experimental' pieces, have been for acoustic groups rather than the typical computer based set-up I usually compose for. A different feeling of freedom is found in acoustic composition that simply can't exist in relatively mechanical works for synthesised instruments.

The largest project on the go at the moment is a 5 Movement Mass for the Episcopalian Church which is projected to last around about 30 minutes. As an antidote, there's also a few fragments for symphony orchestra here and there; where that is headed for, I really can't tell.

Current influences include Philip Glass, Keenan, Rachmaninov, Steve Reich, Scarlatti, Shostokovich and Palestrina.

A list of the more notable works can be found at www.rmacd.com/composition/recent.

Performance

Most of my compositions so far have been based on the synthesis of sounds, and so do not require live players. However, some of my more recent work, such as Mass in F Minor, have been written for live performers. Much of these performances have been undertaken by fellow pupils of St Mary's Music School.