'True visionary' arts patron behind Dunard Centre to step down from festival he founded 20 years ago
The festival was founded in 2004
An arts patron who is a driving force behind Edinburgh's newest concert hall, is to step down as chair of a festival he founded more than 20 years ago.
Donald MacDonald, a Scottish businessman who is a major supporter of the creation of the Dunard Centre and is also life president of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO), founded the East Neuk festival in 2004 with his wife Louise and artistic director, Svend McEwan-Brown.
Initially conceived as a platform for players of the SCO, of which Mr MacDonald was chair for 29 years, in 1999, the event evolved into a full-scale festival in 2004.
He took inspiration from such major events as the Aldeburgh Festival which he attended and found much that he felt could be achieved in the East Neuk of Fife. Identifying key ingredients including the restful location and availability of local churches and halls as venues, he committed his support and time to making it a reality.
The festival‘s achievements have been recognised with two awards from the Royal Philharmonic Society and multiple other prizes.
Mr MacDonald will now become honorary president for life, a role that enables him to continue to maintain his close connection with the festival.
He said: “Seeing the East Neuk Festival in such fine form in its 22nd year is a great pleasure to me personally and I am delighted to continue my involvement in it as president. I find it is a good moment for the festival to seek my successor as chair to take ENF into its next two decades.”
Recruitment plans for a new chair will be announced soon.
Mr McEwan-Brown said: “Without Donald there would be no East Neuk Festival – and we are just one of many music organisations in Scotland and around the UK generally that have good cause to be grateful for his enthusiasm, knowledge, wisdom and generosity. I have benefited from all of those in these past 22 years of delivering ENF together and am delighted we will continue as Donald takes up the role of President.”
Cellist Su-a Lee, who plays with the SCO and has performed at every East Neuk Festival since it began, described Mr MacDonald as “a true visionary”.
She said: “In his quiet, humble, yet deeply passionate way, he fundamentally helps to shape Scotland’s musical life. During nearly 30 years as Chair of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, countless tours, concerts, and recordings were made possible through the incredible generosity of Donald and Louise.
“His commitment to music has always been practical and from the heart: the Dunard Centre, the first new concert hall to be built in Edinburgh in over a century, will open in a few years, having been a personal mission of his since the mid-1990s, and I remember him travelling the world in search of the very best concert halls to inspire it. The East Neuk Festival grew from that same spirit.”
Alan Morrison, head of music at Creative Scotland, said: “For over two decades, the East Neuk Festival has brought world-class music to some of the most unusual and atmospheric venues in the region.
“It has grown in artistic strength and international stature and, in recent years, gained Multi-Year Funded status with support from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland. As the festival moves confidently into the future, Donald MacDonald’s guiding role in securing this level of stability cannot be understated.”
The East Neuk Festival, which took place last weekend, will return with an eclectic programme of classical, orchestral and world music from 30 June to 4 July next year.
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