{{Short description|Scottish musicians}} {{distinguish|The MacDonald Brothers}} {{See also|McDonald Brothers (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} The '''MacDonald Brothers''' are pipers and folk musicians from Scotland.<ref name="LTS"/>
The three brothers, Angus, Allan (born 1956) and {{ill|Iain MacDonald (piper)|lt=Iain|cs|Iain MacDonald}} grew up in Glenuig, a small Gaelic-speaking community in the west Highlands of Scotland.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://pipetunes.ca/composer/allan-macdonald/|title=Allan MacDonald : Pipetunes|website=pipetunes.ca}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.footstompin.com:80/artists/dr_angus_macdonald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021115161549/http://www.footstompin.com/artists/dr_angus_macdonald|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 November 2002|title=Scottish music from Dr. Angus MacDonald|date=15 November 2002|access-date=10 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.footstompin.com/artists/allan_macdonald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020191849/http://www.footstompin.com/artists/allan_macdonald|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2006|title=Scottish music from Allan MacDonald|date=20 October 2006}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.templerecords.co.uk/pages/dr-angus-macdonald|title=Dr Angus MacDonald - Temple Records|website=templerecords.co.uk}}</ref> They have an older sister, Alexandra. Their father, Ronald, was known as "The Whaler," (after spending years whaling) and now the three brothers are often referred to as "The Whaler Brothers". The three brothers are all involved in the Scottish music scene.<ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto1"/>
All three brothers studied under Pipe Major John M. MacKenzie at Queen Victoria School, Dunblane.<ref name="auto3"/> Iain was later taught by Duncan Johnstone and Roderick MacDonald in South Uist, and at one time was musician in residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. He currently tutors at Lews Castle College UHI, Benbecula and is Ceolas's artistic director.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ceolas.co.uk/about/staff/|title=Ceolas Uibhist|website=ceolas.co.uk}}</ref> Allan has worked in the School of Scottish Studies and taught piping at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.<ref name="auto"/> He also taught at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow.<ref name="auto"/> Angus has practised as a doctor in Cape Breton and in Skye, and is involved with the Donald MacDonald Quaich and the John MacFadyen Memorial Piping Trust.<ref name="PipEnc"/><ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto1"/>
The MacDonald brothers are known as activists for the Gaelic language. They were involved in the Ceartas protest in 1981.<ref>Roger Hutchinson, ''A Waxing Moon: The Modern Gaelic Revival'', 2005.</ref>
''Ceòl mo Bhràthair (My Brother's Music)'', a television programme celebrating the music and lives of the three brothers, was broadcast by BBC Scotland in January 2007.<ref name="BBC"/>
Angus's son, Allan, was the piper and multi-instrumentalist in Niteworks.
==References== <references>
<ref name="LTS">{{cite web|url=http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scotlandssongs/about/instruments/bagpipes/modernpiping.asp|work=Learning and Teaching Scotland|title=Modern piping|accessdate=13 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309083931/http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/scotlandssongs/about/instruments/bagpipes/modernpiping.asp|archive-date=9 March 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name="PipEnc">{{cite web|title=The Piping Encyclopaedia|url=http://www.duntroonpublishing.com/page244.html|accessdate=13 August 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330170532/http://www.duntroonpublishing.com/page244.html|archivedate=30 March 2012}}</ref> <ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dx2k3|work=BBC Alba|title=An Tilleadh|access-date=13 August 2011}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *[http://www.allanmacdonald.com Personal website of Allan MacDonald]
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Category:Great Highland bagpipe players Category:People from Lochaber Category:People educated at Queen Victoria School, Dunblane Category:Scottish bagpipe players
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