Louise Macdonald
Louise began her singing career at Scottish Opera, then after winning the Young Singers’ Messiah Competition, she performed alto solos in Handel’s Messiah at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. During her freelance career, awards include The Honeyman Scholarship to New York and Philadelphia, Scottish Arts Council Travel and Training Bursaries to study in Finland and in Germany, The Hope Scott Trust Award for a recital in London and Creative Scotland awards to study with pianist Malcolm Martineau OBE and for Kodaly training at NYCOS summer schools. Louise also won a Fringe First award as part of Theatre Works, singing Scots songs, as part of a production about poetic imagination and Scottish identity. She has enjoyed performing at Burns Suppers in Paris, Geneva and in Scotland.
Her performing highlights include the critically acclaimed Mary Queen of Scots Concert, commissioning contemporary composers to write for her voice and piano along with Schumann’s Maria Stuart Lieder. This was premiered in Queens Cross Church, Glasgow, Oxford Lieder Festival, then seven performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, receiving five star reviews. She performed Brahms’ Songs for Alto, Viola and Piano with Malcolm Martineau and Scott Dickinson, principal violist at the BBCSSO at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in a concert with members of staff for Hester Dickson’s 90th birthday. Louise has given recitals and sacred choral concerts in Paris and throughout the UK.
She brings her love of life, enthusiasm and creativity to her teaching. She has a private teaching practice and has worked within many community and school settings with groups including neurodiverse children, young people and adults.
Her current passion is to help women of all ages and experience, whose voices are changing, to know that they are important and can gain confidence through vocal change, singing in any style, into their mature years, taking up space by breathing well and getting to know what their voices are capable of, in a creative, nurturing and playful way. Several of her students are in their 60s and late seventies and have successfully passed their choral auditions, with positive comments.
Louise’s interests include walking, visual arts, holistic living, languages and communication, dancing and attending live music gigs of various genres.
Louise takes regular breaks between teaching, to dance and do star jumps in her kitchen with the radio on loud! So far, the neighbours haven’t complained!