Simon Murphy

“Murphy is a musician with guts: a conductor with the passion and conviction of a born missionary.” – De Volkskrant, NL

“Breathtaking. Compelling, technically brilliant and unusually effervescent! Murphy has it all – verve and pulsating temperament – presented with the finest finesse.” – Concerto, D

Simon Murphy (Sydney, 1973) is an international award-winning, Dutch-based, Australian conductor and violist with a special focus on music of the 18th and early 19th centuries. He is the founder and artistic director of The Hague’s Baroque orchestra, The New Dutch Academy.

After studying viola with Leonid Volovelsky and early music performance with Hans-Dieter Michatz and Geoffrey Lancaster at the University of Sydney, he was further educated by the leading lights of the Dutch early music movement, studying Baroque viola with Alda Stuurop at the Utrecht Conservatorium and performing extensively with legendary figures Frans Brüggen and Gustav Leonhardt.

Performing at the world’s most prestigious halls and festivals, Murphy has won international recognition for delivering fresh perspectives on classic symphonic repertoire and for bringing newly rediscovered masterworks to life. France’s Diapason reported “The repertoire refresher, conductor Simon Murphy radiates joie de vivre. His interpretation distinguishes itself by its enthusiasm and his approach possesses a classic élan, displaying delicate sensitivity.”

Working with both specialist baroque and modern symphony orchestras, Murphy’s conducting technique was described by the BBC Music Magazine as “the best of both worlds”. He has performed throughout Europe, the US, Canada, Russia, Asia and Australia. Recent concert highlights include cycles of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Mendelssohn symphonies for Dutch radio at The Hague’s Philipszaal and Amsterdam’s Het Concertgebouw. European festival appearances include productions for the Händel Festspiele Halle and Bachfest Leipzig.

Murphy is recognised as a world authority on the early, classical symphony. His discography includes first recordings of symphonies by Stamitz, Schmitt (“The Dutch Haydn”), Graaf and Zappa (PENTATONE). His groundbreaking recording of Corelli’s Concerti Grossi was voted one of the top five highlights in the 30 year history of the Holland Festival of Early Music Utrecht.

photo: from booklet Jet Set! (PENTATONE)