Emma Murphy, recorders, graduated from the University
of Birmingham with a First Class (Hons) degree in
Music and then won a scholarship to Trinity College
of Music to take a University of London MMus degree
and a Postgraduate Certificate, for which she was
awarded a Distinction. Her teachers have included
Philip Thorby and Ashley Solomon. Emma has won numerous
awards including Grants from the Arts Foundation
and the Foundation for Sport & the Arts and
a Countess of Munster Award.
Emma
has played throughout the world with some of the
UK’s leading period groups, such as The King’s
Consort, Ex Cathedra, New London Consort, and she
plays in many chamber groups in London, most recently
at the Purcell Room and the Wigmore Hall with Da
Camera, as well as in Japan, where she tours annually.
Emma was recently an orchestral soloist with the
CBSO under the direction of the brilliant French
harpsichordist/director Emmanuelle Haim.
Emma
has recorded on the Hyperion label with The King’s
Consort, Ex Cathedra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
and she has appeared numerous times on BBC Radio
3’s ‘In Tune’ programme and made
live BBC recordings, such as from the Proms and
the Southbank in London.
Emma
has performed twice, her solo performance to great
acclaim, in the Park Lane Group’s New Year
Series of contemporary music on the Southbank. She
plays in a duo with the marimba player, Daniella
Ganeva, specializing in contemporary & renaissance
music. Emma recently took part in a recording with
the pop singer, Kate Bush, for her latest album!
Emma returns to her old college, Trinity College
of Music, in October to give a performance of solo
contemporary music as part of the college’s
tutor’s showcase.
“Emma
Murphy is a superb recorder player. She combines
outstanding virtuosity with musical intelligence
and sensitivity (not always an obvious combination)
and has a solid control of tone (with no cadential
dropping). She also has an endearingly cheerful
stage manner that engages the audience.” EARLY
MUSIC REVIEW
“Emma’s
Suite in d minor by Bach showed great style and
flair, achieved by clear articulation and neat fingerwork.”
RECORDER MAGAZINE
“I
was impressed by the superb control of recorder
intonation in Emma Murphy’s delightfully-musical
playing of Robert Carr’s Divisions on an Italian
Ground.”
EARLY MUSIC REVIEW
“…revealed
Emma Murphy to be a brilliant performer. Playing
two recorders at once with virtuosic ease, she caught
the wit in such pieces as David Bedford’s
Piers de Resistance and Louis Andriessen’s
Ende.” THE TIMES
“Emma
Murphy played both two recorders at once and two
notes from one recorder in a truly virtuosic display.”
EVENING STANDARD
“One
of them, Emma Murphy, is a true virtuoso. I once
saw her play two recorders at once and two notes
from one recorder. Amazing!” HOT TICKETS