Kelly-Marie Murphy
Kelly-Marie Murphy’s compositional voice is well known on the Canadian music scene. She has created a number of memorable works for some of Canada’s leading performers and ensembles, including the Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras, The Gryphon Trio, James Campbell, Shauna Rolston, the Cecilia and Afiara String Quartets, and Judy Loman.
Dr. Murphy’s music has been performed around the world by outstanding soloists and ensembles, and has had radio broadcasts in over 22 countries. Her music has been interpreted by renowned conductors such as Sir Andrew Davis, David Brophy, Bramwell Tovey, and Mario Bernardi. Her music has been heard in iconic concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall in New York, The Mozarteum in Salzburg, and The National Concert Hall in Dublin.
Recent, Current and Upcoming
PROJECTS
Upcoming:
- Violin concerto for Kerson Leong and Violons de Roy, February 2025
- Concerto for Guy Few and Surrey City Orchestra, September 2025
- Cello duo for India Gailey and Leah Plave, August 2025
- Duo for viola and cello, Elvira Misbakhova and Stéphane Tétreault, July 2025
- Cantiamo Girls Choir, Ottawa, May 2025
Current:
- Septet for clarinet and strings, Foundation Boubo-Music, Switzerland, May 2024
- Viola and piano for Elvira Misbakhova, July 2024
Recent:
- Dark Nights, Bright Stars, Vast Universe, National Arts Centre Orchestra
- Prima-Goodman Fantasy for La Fiammata Duo
- The Unstoppable Fear Machine, 2 Saxophones and Piano
- Flowers Band, UK, O Frabjous Day, Alice Slays
CURRENT
PERFORMANCES & EVENTS
Kerson Leong, violin + Les Violon de Roy; Nicolas Ellis, conductor
NEW CD RELEASED May 2024
Four Voices
String Quartets of Abigail Richardson-Schulte, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Vivian Fung and Nicola Lefanu
Performed by Lafayette String Quartet
This CD is the culmination of a large commissioning project initiated by the Lafayette String Quartet (Ann Elliott-Goldschmid and Sharon Stanis, violins; Joanna Hood, viola; and Pamela Highbaugh Aloni, cello) in 2020. They sought out female composers whose music spoke to them individually and collectively.
The works were commissioned by the Lafayette String Quartet through the BK Weigel Fund at the University of Victoria, and performed by the LSQ throughout Canada and the United States in their final season.
Press
On Rethinking Heroism in the 21st Century…
“Murphy’s scores never fail for rhythmic interest (something like the music of John Adams), and that was the case here. She has, over the years, developed a consistent musical personality and style, and it is one that, with a certain eclecticism, works well in today’s musical environment. Technically accomplished and showing strong developmental direction as it went on, this was an engaging piece by one of the most interesting mid-career Canadian composers, and one suitable for our ambivalent feelings about all things heroic in manner.”
– Michele Jarvie, The Calgary Herald
(Photo: Danylo Bobyk)