Multiple award-winning saxophonist and composer Brett McDonald has performed on saxophones, flutes and clarinets on 10 broadway national tours Dreamgirls 2012-2013, 2019-2020; A Christmas Story, The Musical 2014, 2015; My Fair Lady, China 2016; 42nd Street 2016-2017; How The Grinch Stole Christmas, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and two National tours of Australia with the Glenn Miller Orchestra (2017, 2019). In the spring of 2019, he played with the Ron King Big Band at the largest Jazz Festival in the world, The Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia. He also performed with Perfect Beings as a featured soloist at the 15th annual ROSFest in Gettysburg PA. His saxophone playing has been recognized by Downbeat magazine (Student Music Awards 2011), the North American Saxophone Alliance (Jazz Saxophone Competition: semifinalist 2012, alternate finalist 2010) and The National Music Center (2014). His composition, The Beat In Progress, has been recognized by the Jazz Educator’s Network (2011) and ASCAP (2011). He has worked with jazz students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Shanghai Conservatory, bringing his years of study and experience to a new generation of jazz soloists.

Long Bio

Multiple award-winning saxophonist and composer Brett McDonald has performed on saxophones, flutes and clarinets on 10 broadway national tours Dreamgirls 2012-2013, 2019-2020; A Christmas Story, The Musical 2014, 2015; My Fair Lady, China 2016; 42nd Street 2016-2017; How The Grinch Stole Christmas, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and two National tours of Australia with the Glenn Miller Orchestra (2017, 2019).. McDonald received awards from Downbeat Magazine for an Outstanding Performance – Jazz Soloist (2011), an ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award – honourable mention (2011), The Jazz Educator’s Network Composition Showcase (2011)  and was selected as a semi-finalist for the 2012 North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Saxophone Competition. As a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra (2017), Brett performed to sold-out audiences across Australia at venues including Hamer Hall (Melbourne) the State Theatre (Sydney) and the Queensland Performing Arts Center (Brisbane) 

In 2011 after a nation-wide audition, Brett was selected as a member of the Yamaha All-American College Band at Disneyland, where he had the opportunity to perform with such artists as Arturo Sandoval, John Clayton, Gregg Field and Sal Lozano. In 2019, Brett returned to Disneyland for 25 performances with Phat Cat Swinger for Disney California Adventure’s Food and Wine Festival.

While a Masters student and part-time lecturer of Jazz History at Rutgers University, McDonald shared the stage with jazz greats Conrad Herwig, Frank Lacy, Stanley Cowell, Joe Magnarelli and Victor Lewis. Studying under the acclaimed jazz saxophonist and pedagogue Ralph Bowen at Rutgers, Brett also had the opportunity to perform and premiere an original composition at the renowned Blue Note jazz club in New York City. 

Prior to his studies at Rutgers, McDonald earned his undergraduate degree Magnus Cum Laude from The University of North Texas (UNT) for Jazz Studies, the oldest and largest program of its kind. His award winning performances (Downbeat 2011) and composition "The Beat in Progress" (JEN 2011, ASCAP 2011) are recorded on the Downbeat Student Music Award winning Two O'clock Lab Band album "Under The Radar" .

As an arranger, transcriber and engraver, McDonald's work has been performed at Bass Hall in Fort Worth, The Rafael Mendez Brass Institute in Denver, and The Blue Note in New York City. Recent commissions for arrangements and compositions span a diversity of instrumentation from saxophone quartet, to brass quintet to 18-piece big band. As a music engraver and copyist, McDonald prepared music for the great Lyle Mays for Mays'  feature concert with the world-famous UNT One O'Clock Lab Band in 2011.

As a multiple woodwind specialist, Brett has performed on flutes, clarinets and saxophones on a tour of China with My Fair Lady, a national tour of 42nd Street, three national tours of How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical,  two national tours of A Christmas Story: The Musical and, on the 2013 International Tour of Dreamgirls. In August 2013, as an orchestra member for Dreamgirls, McDonald performed in Japan at the newly renovated Festival Hall in Osaka and at the Tokyu Orb Theatre in Tokyo.

In addition to his musical endeavors, Brett pursues an active outdoor lifestyle enjoying alpine scrambling, racquetball, sailing and soccer.