Payton MacDonald is a composer, percussionist, improviser. He explores the frontiers of art in a variety of settings, from Carnegie Hall to remote wilderness locations. He spent his early years drumming along with jazz records, while exploring the Rocky Mountains near his birthplace in Idaho. After studying music at the University of Michigan and the Eastman School of Music, MacDonald first built his career as a founding member of Alarm Will Sound, performing and recording with them in the U.S. and Europe and composing several large-scale works for the ensemble, including a piece for Alarm Will Sound and Medeski, Martin & Wood. MacDonald was also touring and recording as a marimba soloist during that time, and performing with the Verederos flute and percussion duo. In the 2010s MacDonald completed his epic Sonic Divide project (https://sonicdivide.com) in which MacDonald brought together experimental music with ultra-distance mountain biking and film. He was also active with the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble during this time. In 2021 MacDonald put together Void Patrol, a superstar band of improvisers with Elliott Sharp, Colin Stetson, and Billy Martin. He also began recording and performing extensively as a marimba player, one of the few in the world creating a distinctive body of work as an improviser, including collaborations with Weasel Walter, Nate Wooley, Nava Dunkelman, Erin Rogers, James Ilgenfritz, and many others. https://paytonmacdonald.com/