Ryan Macdonald is a drummer, DJ, composer, and producer originally from Ottawa now living in Toronto and pursuing post-secondary studies in jazz drumming.
Macdonald’s musical background came from his family. He began playing the drums at age 10 and taking lessons two years after that, eventually deciding to pursue a career in music, studying at the celebrated faculty of music at York University. Upon being accepted into the program, he was awarded the Oscar Peterson Jazz Entrance Scholarship, as well as the Rochelle Koskie Jazz Performance and Education Centre Scholarship.
Though his studies are focused in the world of jazz, Macdonald’s performing experience and projects span several genres, including jazz, R&B, funk, rock/alternative and electronica. He uses influences from these various idioms to create his own sound and style that offers versatility for
each project on which he’s working.
Whether as a drummer or a DJ, Macdonald has performed at festivals and venues in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, including the Great Hall (Toronto), Form Festival (Arcosanti, Ariz.), Fox Cabaret (Vancouver), Brighton Music Hall (Boston), Yes (Manchester, U.K.), Veedel Club (Cologne, Germany) and Trix (Antwerp, Belgium). He has worked with a wide variety of artists in various genres, including Chester Hansen (BADBADNOTGOOD), Kaan Gunesburk (Camila Cabello, Post Malone), Ingrid Jensen (Artemis, the Mosaic Project), Ian Culley (Daniel Caesar, Charlotte Day Wilson), Sundar Viswanathan (Avataar), and several others.