BIOGRAPHY
DONALD MACKENZIE was born in Ayrshire (Scotland) in 1970. He began his professional career in 1988 when he was the organist of the Glasgow Garden Festival. In July 1992 (33 years ago) he began his long association with the world famous Odeon Leicester Square Compton Organ by playing it for film events. In October 1993 he was engaged to play the organ for 5 weeks before each performance of the Disney film, ‘Aladdin’. Since then he has appeared regularly at film premières, special events and organ concerts. He has broadcast from the Odeon on BBC Radios 2, 3, 4 and the World Service. He has been featured on a number of television programmes and Donald has performed at numerous Royal Film Performances - most recently in the presence of King Charles III.
When he is not playing for concerts Donald specialises in the art of improvised accompaniments to silent films - his first public appearance accompanying films was aged 14, for a special evening screening in Paisley Town Hall. He has now more than fifty feature films ‘under his fingers’ including many of the major classics of the silent screen, as well as many different types of short silent films. These have been acclaimed by critics, and the audience absolutely love the experience of Donald’s inimitable stylish accompaniment to a film.
This has led to numerous engagements (with many repeats) throughout the UK at venues such as The Victoria Hall - Hanley, Birmingham Town Hall, The Musical Museum - Brentford, The Alexandra Palace - London, The Caird Hall - Dundee, Chester, Derby & Leicester Cathedrals, Saarlouis Evangelical Church, The Usher Hall - Edinburgh, De Montfort Hall Leicester, The Music Hall - Aberdeen, The Troxy Stepney and also in Europe and the USA.
In 2024 he was appointed Silent Film Artist in Residence at London's famous Musical Museum and he performs and presents a monthly silent film afternoon under the title of 'Kew Bridge Kinema'. The Musical Museum is a wonderful place to visit and their wonderful Wurlitzer organ is a joy upon which to make music.
His overseas concert appearances have included - in Poland at the Bielsko Biala Bach Festival, in Philadelphia (USA) at the Wanamaker Store and Girard College, in Holland for the Nederland’s Orgel Federation and several times in Germany playing the Moller organ in the music hall of the world famous organ building firm of August Laukhuff. At this venue he has also played for silent film evenings as part of the Hohenloher Cultural Summer Festival. In 2008 he was honoured to become a Patron of the Lancaster Town Hall Organ Restoration Project. He was the Chair of Jury for the First Silent Film Competition held at The Babylon Cinema, Berlin in 2015.
During the Covid pandemic, Donald provided musical programmes for various associations via digital streaming. He also recorded the soundtrack for a Blu Ray release of silent Lupino Lane films. In 2022, he also contributed musically to a commercial release for the films of Billy Bevan, and there is an exciting project earmarked for 2023. The most recent to have been released is a Blu-Ray of Monty Banks films which Donald has provided the accompaniment to 'Play Safe' a restored feature version of the famous short film 'Chasing Choo Choos'.
Several highlights of Donald’s career include playing to an audience of over 4,000 in Balboa Park, San Diego on the world famous outdoor organ.
When he is not playing for concerts Donald specialises in the art of improvised accompaniments to silent films - his first public appearance accompanying films was aged 14, for a special evening screening in Paisley Town Hall. He has now more than fifty feature films ‘under his fingers’ including many of the major classics of the silent screen, as well as many different types of short silent films. These have been acclaimed by critics, and the audience absolutely love the experience of Donald’s inimitable stylish accompaniment to a film.
This has led to numerous engagements (with many repeats) throughout the UK at venues such as The Victoria Hall - Hanley, Birmingham Town Hall, The Musical Museum - Brentford, The Alexandra Palace - London, The Caird Hall - Dundee, Chester, Derby & Leicester Cathedrals, Saarlouis Evangelical Church, The Usher Hall - Edinburgh, De Montfort Hall Leicester, The Music Hall - Aberdeen, The Troxy Stepney and also in Europe and the USA.
In 2024 he was appointed Silent Film Artist in Residence at London's famous Musical Museum and he performs and presents a monthly silent film afternoon under the title of 'Kew Bridge Kinema'. The Musical Museum is a wonderful place to visit and their wonderful Wurlitzer organ is a joy upon which to make music.
His overseas concert appearances have included - in Poland at the Bielsko Biala Bach Festival, in Philadelphia (USA) at the Wanamaker Store and Girard College, in Holland for the Nederland’s Orgel Federation and several times in Germany playing the Moller organ in the music hall of the world famous organ building firm of August Laukhuff. At this venue he has also played for silent film evenings as part of the Hohenloher Cultural Summer Festival. In 2008 he was honoured to become a Patron of the Lancaster Town Hall Organ Restoration Project. He was the Chair of Jury for the First Silent Film Competition held at The Babylon Cinema, Berlin in 2015.
During the Covid pandemic, Donald provided musical programmes for various associations via digital streaming. He also recorded the soundtrack for a Blu Ray release of silent Lupino Lane films. In 2022, he also contributed musically to a commercial release for the films of Billy Bevan, and there is an exciting project earmarked for 2023. The most recent to have been released is a Blu-Ray of Monty Banks films which Donald has provided the accompaniment to 'Play Safe' a restored feature version of the famous short film 'Chasing Choo Choos'.
Several highlights of Donald’s career include playing to an audience of over 4,000 in Balboa Park, San Diego on the world famous outdoor organ.