curriculum vitae

Jonathan A. S. Macdonald

Music Composer | Music Producer | Sound Designer | Field Recordist

CV -->

Film composer specialising in hybrid orchestral scores for moving image—currently completing BA (Hons) Music with Distinction-level HND foundation. I compose, orchestrate, and produce cinematic music from concept through final delivery using Logic Pro, Native Instruments Komplete, and BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional. My neurodiversity strengthens my work: sustained focus on thematic development, deep attention to orchestration detail, and analytical approaches to musical storytelling.

EXPERIENCE

Independent Client Project – Freelance Studio Recording & Music Production – Gloucester
Sep 2023

Composed and produced original music for Joal Q., delivering a full production pipeline from concept through recording, mixing, and mastering—meeting client deadlines while maintaining creative vision.

The Cornish Bakery – Team Member – Gloucester
Mar 2022 – Aug 2022

Managed customer service and multitasking under pressure in a high-volume retail environment, demonstrating reliability and professionalism.

SKILLS

Composition & Scoring: Film Scoring, Media Composition, Orchestration, Hybrid Orchestral Writing, Orchestral Mock-up, Thematic Development, Arrangement, Musical Storytelling, Score Preparation, Sound Design
Production & Audio Engineering: Logic Pro, Audio Engineering, Mixing, Mastering, MIDI Programming, Recording, Audio Editing Workflows, Audio Post-Production, Audio Restoration
Tools & Software: BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional, Native Instruments Komplete, Arturia Pigments, Arturia V Collection, Synplant 2, The Legend HZ, MuseScore, Zoom H8 Recorder, Midas M32R Digital Mixing Console
Professional Strengths: Pattern recognition in harmony and orchestration, Sustained focus on complex creative projects, Analytical thinking and structured problem-solving, Collaborative working, Creative problem-solving, Adaptability

EDUCATION

Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM)
BA (Hons) Music — Expected 2026

Focus: Composition for Media, Professional Creative Practice, Music Production

Gloucestershire College
Higher National Diploma (HND) Music — Distinction
Key areas of study: Music Composition, Recording & Production, Mixing & Mastering, Creative Collaboration, Professional Practice, Music Technology

Gloucestershire College
Higher National Certificate (HNC) Music — Merit
Studied: Composition, Songwriting, Recording Techniques, Studio Production, Music Technology

Gloucestershire College
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Production — Merit

Hereford College of Arts
Level 2 Diploma in Music Performance & Production — Merit

PROJECTS

Selected projects:

Long-Form Ambient Composition: An original collaborative work combining piano, live cello and electronic textures to create an immersive soundscape, exploring atmosphere, emotion and contemporary ambient composition.
Film Scoring Portfolio: A collection of original scores written for moving image, demonstrating thematic development, orchestration and the use of music to enhance narrative, pacing and emotional impact.
Hybrid Orchestral Composition: Original works integrating orchestral instrumentation with modern synthesis and sound design, creating cinematic scores suitable for film, television and interactive media.
Collaborative Music Productions: Projects developed in partnership with performers, recording engineers and musicians, strengthening my experience of professional collaborative creation and studio production workflows.
Original Music Production: Complete production projects encompassing composition, recording, editing, mixing and mastering, demonstrating proficiency across the full music production process.

Through these projects, I have developed a strong understanding of professional composition workflows, collaborative practice and the technical skills required to produce music for contemporary visual media. My portfolio continues to grow as I refine my compositional voice and work towards a career in film, television and game music.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Film Scoring Study: Analysing contemporary film scores and orchestration techniques to strengthen compositional voice and narrative storytelling.

Orchestration & Analysis: Studying scoring techniques through practical projects and critical analysis of film soundtracks—focusing on thematic development, instrumentation choices, and narrative integration in work by Hans Zimmer, Guy Michelmore, and contemporary media composers.

Sound Design & Synthesis: Developing hybrid scoring techniques combining orchestral libraries (BBC Symphony Orchestra Professional) with synthesis tools (Arturia Pigments, Native Instruments Komplete, Synplant 2, The Legend HZ) for contemporary cinematic palettes.

Collaborative Composition: Working with live musicians, recording engineers, and performers to integrate live instrumentation into hybrid scores—strengthening collaboration skills essential for film production environments.

Future Ambitions: Preparing for postgraduate study in Film Composition and Media Composition, with the long-term ambition of composing original music for film, television, games and other visual media.

Industry Awareness: Tracking contemporary developments in film music through composer interviews, professional resources, and trend analysis—including emerging styles like lo-fi integration in narrative scoring.

REFERENCES

References available on request.