Marshall McDonald: Mormon Musician
Marshall McDonald is a pianist, arranger, and composer who has produced multiple albums, has scored films, and has two symphonies to his credit. He has produced numerous sheet music and piano solo books.
McDonald graduated from the University of Utah in 2003 with bachelor’s degrees in music and communications. He went on to earn his master’s degree in public administration also from the U of U. While pursuing his music, he also teaches Seminary and Institute for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of which he is a member. He is also an adjunct music professor for the Salt Lake Community College.
In 2007, he was a guest soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on its Music and the Spoken Word weekly broadcast. In 2006 The National Endowment for the Arts and The Orchestra of Southern Utah commissioned Marshall and his good friend Steven Sharp Nelson (now with The Piano Guys, to compose the Spanish Trail Suite in honor of the Old Spanish Trail becoming a nationally recognized trail by the U.S. Congress. The world-class China Philharmonic Orchestra recorded and distributed the four-movement symphony in 2008.
In 2014, McDonald wrote and arranged the music for the live nativity video that was released on The Piano Guys YouTube channel and made a Guinness World Record.
His albums include: Sunday Morning Light; Sunday Best; 24 All-Time Favorites; Our Savior’s Love; This Is the Christ; Bringing the World His Truth; American Journey; Heaven’s Touch; Christmas Dreams; More Holiness Give Me; His Light Divine; and I Am a Child of God. His music books include: Hymns for the Sabbath, volumes 1 and 2; Christmas Classics; As the Dew from Heaven Distilling; Be Still, My Soul; and Sacred Voice.
McDonald and his wife, Kristien, live in Riverton, Utah, with their three children.
