Tom Donald

Re-Migrant Records presents Jazz/Classical Pianist and Composer Tom Donald. Donald has many new piano recitals and performances scheduled for 2008. Whether it is jazz or improvised classical, or composed classical the focus on his music in his own words is purely on energy release and the relationship between sound, mind, consciousness and external energy changes through improvisation. Tom believes these elements should be a key focus in 21st century music.Born 1982, Coonabarabran, NSW Australia. Tom commenced music lessons in Tamworth NSW at age six with New Zealand Vocalist and Pianist, Jennifer Heaton. During his Tamworth youth he composed many piano pieces for his public recitals as well as choral and chamber music works. In 1997, played for 13 Hours non-stop to raise money for the Westpac Helicopter service in the New England and in 1998 completed his first two piano sonatas and Orchestral Work. 2000 he received an Order of Australia Citation and was granted the Australian Music Examinations Board, AMUS-A Diploma.At age 19, Donald commenced studies at the Newcastle Conservatorium Australia. He studied Piano under Carmel Lutton (OAM) and composition under Colin Spiers.During this time an intense interest for improvisation developed alongside his classical training. Donald for the first time gave a completely improvised piano recital in Tamworth in 2002 as well as more improvised recitals in Newcastle throughout 2003.Upon completing his studies in Newcastle he recorded his debut album “Solstice” a significant 50-minute recorded piano improvisation and shortly afterwards, moved to London in 2004. As a composer he focuses mainly on classical chamber music and song writing. He has formed song-writing partnerships with Kell Gregory in which they have formed the band “The Rasps” as well as American vocalist and lyricist, Sirena Riley.In 2006 Donald was granted the UK composers visa. He has played in many London venues such as the Theatre Museum (Covent Garden), Live Improvisations at the Abbey Road Studio Sound and Vision Evening run by the Cancer Research UK and event patron Sir George Martin, “The Klinker Club”, “Tiles Wine Bar" (Victoria), The Soho Review Bar", The Bedlam (Hampstead), Pizza Express (Liverpool Street), “Wandsworth Lost Society”, “The Voulupte” (Hoburn), Claridges Show Room (Mayfair), The Battersea Barge, "The Rasps", The Wimbledon Guild Drake House, “The Rock Café” (Covent Garden), St Mary’s Church Ealing, “Café Cairo” Clapham, and the “Octave Jazz Bar”. He has been involved in recording session work at BBC Studios Maida Vale, Cherry Pie Music, Wimbledon, Tin Pan Alley Soho and Resident Studios, North London for many numerous projects.His U.K debut Piano Recital was at the St Mary’s Church in Ealing in 2006. The concert was recorded and is due for release in 2008. Since then he gave another Improvisation Recital at the Drake House in Wimbledon. In 2007 he has played around many South London Jazz Venues with the Jazz Fusion Improvisation Ensemble “IOTA"As a producer and session composer and pianist Donald has been busy working closely with many artists, he has also recorded with multi-Instrumentalist Andrew Clermont. As a pianist and composer he produces for many leading U.K artists and bands.During 2007, Donald has been composing a new work for music education. Inspired by Suzuki method as well as the Bartok Mikrokosmos, Tom’s interest was finding the middle ground in between these two fine, but extreme teaching methods. This method known as the “Harmony Method” is based on tonal chordal traditions being taught simultaneous to scales. But is presented in a far more simple and concise method than traditional counterpoint. Beginner Students under this method are successfully transposing harmonic progressions and gain a sub-conscious instinct rather than an absolute sight oriented understanding of harmony. This method will be released in a book “The Harmonic Method” in late 2008.
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