Macdonald, Donald M

Composer

b Borrobol, Kinbrace, Strath of Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland, 1944. Golspie Senr Secondary Sch; Edinburgh Univ (MB, ChB 1967, FRCS 1972). After beginning as a trainee surgeon in Edinburgh 1967–73, he worked in Lakhnadon Christian Hospital in central India (founded by the Free Ch of Scotland in the 1920s). While serving there, seconded to the Emmanuel Hospital Assn, he was involved in producing modern metrical versions of the Psalms in Hindi for the Free Ch of Central India; in the 1980s he began to compose and adapt tunes. On returning to Scotland he qualified Dip Theol at the Free Church Coll in Edinburgh, and from 1990 to 1997 served as Minister of Bishopriggs Free Ch, Glasgow. He then returned to Edinburgh as Prof of Practical Theology at the Free Ch Coll, and now belongs to the Buccleuch and Greyfriars Free Church. He edited the Free Ch missions magazine From the Frontiers (1988–96) and was Moderator of its General Assembly in 1997. As a writer of texts and tunes he served on the Free Church’s Psalmody Editing Committee and Music Group, 1992–2004; he was Convenor of the Psalmody Committee 2000–2006; in this capacity produced many drafts and was responsible for the final printed versions. 17 of his tunes are published in Sing Psalms (2004; also available on a CD-Rom), the 4-part harmonies for which are arranged by Andrew and/or Isobel Gordon, qv. Nos.94, 119E.