Kirk MacDonald started to play saxophone at age 10. He studied with Bill Loeb in Sydney, Nova Scotia from 1969 to 1971, and later entered a High School Music programme where he studied with Terry Hill for saxophones, clarinet, flute, music theory and comosition. He has also studied with Herb Pomeroy, Andy McGhee and Michael Redish at Boston's Berklee School of Music. With Ron Collier at Humber College in Toronto, and private lessons with Pat LaBarbera also in Toronto. And with George Coleman, Lee Konitz and Gary Dial in New York.
Kirk has taught jazz saxophone at Ottawa, Carlton and McGill Universities as well as the University of Toronto. He has worked in clinics at the University of Manitoba, Saint Francis Xavier University, Grant McEwan College, York University, Humber College and the Seoul Jazz Academy in Korea.
Kirk has performed at many jazz festivals and club/concerts throughout the United States and Canada, and also in Australia, Italy and Korea. His performances with other musicians include Bob Mover, Pat LaBarbera, Sam Noto, Lorne Lofsky, Kenny Wheeler and Tenor Madness. He has recorded with Manteca, Joe Coughlin, Bill King, Liberty Silver, Kieran Overs and Ken Skinner.