Owen Murray ACCORDIONIST
 
News
 
 
March 2024 .. a new CD is in preparation
Gordon Jacob Jonathan Dove Edward McGuire Sir James MacMillan
 
Owen just sent this in:

I recorded the Gordon Jacob, Jonathan Dove and Edward McGuire concertos with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Sir James MacMillan at the Maida Vale studio on 27,28,29 February 2024.

... more details of this new recording will follow in due course ... It will be released by Toccata Next.
 
 
October 2023
   
Martynas Levickis website
OPUS KLASSIK Award for Martynas Levickis

Owen's former student Martynas Levickis has just won the Opus Klassik 'Instrumentalist of the Year' award'

More information is on the Royal Academy for Music website
 
 
 
2020, December 13th-20th - MOSCOW - VII International Competition of Bayan and Accordion Players
   
VII International Competition
VII International Competition of Bayan and Accordion players is to be held in Moscow at Gnesin Academy of Music, from 13 up to 20 December 2020.

It is open to musicians aged not below 18 and not over 32 at the time of the Competition.


Owen will be on the jury of the Moscow International Bayan Festival. It will be held online this year. Friedrich Lips is Chairman of the jury. (when we have an on-line link, we'll post this)
 
 
2020, June 19th 15:00
 
 
ACCORDION CONCERT AND PODCAST TAKES CENTRE STAGE
IN THE LEEDS INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL 2020
Owen Murray Podcast
Available from Today, Friday 19th June 2020

Owen Murray, Head of Accordion at the Royal Academy of Music, joins guest presenter Ben Saunders to introduce us to the accordion ahead of Monday’s LIOF Live recital by Qianyu Zhang, one of Owen’s students. Born in Scotland, and now splitting his time between Copenhagen and London, Ben and Owen discuss the difference between piano and classical accordions, and why Owen has made it his mission to raise the instrument’s status in the UK.

Listen to the Podcast here:
 
   
Leeds
A concert by Owen's student Qianyu Zhang is available from 13:15 onward on Monday 22 June at www.lioflive.org.uk
 
 
2019
Friday 3rd May, a great review in the SCOTSMAN (Edinburgh performance)
 
Monday, May 6th 2019 - another fine review in THE TIMES
 
Tuesday May 7th - Aberdeen Performance
 
 
April 2019
 
An interview on BLOG SITE "Meander" that appeared end of March
regarding the new concerto.
(Click here to go to the Meander Site)
 
 
February 2019
 
Accordions Worldwide
 
On February 8th Accordions Worldwide published the dates for Owen Murray's concert
performances in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. (2nd/3rd/4th May in Scotland))
 
 
April 2018
 
Owen Murray with 4 of his current RAM students play with the
Philharmonia Orchestra/ Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Cardiff
St David’s Hall, Cardiff, 18 May 2018
London
Royal Festival Hall, London, 20 May 2018
... and in NOVEMBER 2018 Owen will play in Stockholm, Sweden (site to be updated)

Stockholm, to be updated

17 November 2018, Stockholm, Sweden

Owen plays Gordon Jacob’s Accordion Concerto in the Royal College of Music in Stockholm (site to be updated)
 
March 2018
 
WORLD PREMIERE of Jonathan Dove's Accordion Concerto.
Jonathan Dove’s concertos are often more than they seem, for example, his flute concerto The Magic Flute Dances imagines the life of the magic flute after the end of Mozart’s eponymous opera. His new Accordion Concerto promises to be a fitting tribute to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, drawing influences from his love of Orkney. Max had been commissioned to write the concerto for accordion virtuoso Owen Murray, but sadly he passed away just as he was about to start work on it. Mozart and Haydn are both in high spirits in their symphonies here – Haydn plays a joke that is sure to catch you out – while Ligeti is in rustic, folksy mood.

“Unquestionably the finest player and teacher in Britain. Can be compared to Segovia for his supreme virtuosity and also for his success in demonstrating the great potential of an undervalued instrument.” The Times on Owen Murray

COMPOSER INSIGHTS: 6.30pm Jonathan Dove introduces his new Accordion Concerto
Click below to read more on the website of the SCO (Box Office Link) >>>
Performances in Edinburgh (2 May), Glasgow (3 May) and Aberdeen.(4 May) 2019






 
 
February 2018
 
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Jonathan Dove
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
 
Jonathan Dove
     
Owen's life's work has been to establish an identity for the classical accordion. To be able to collaborate with a musician of his distinction is an unmissable opportunity to create a landmark in the history of this instrument".
 
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
 
     
Sir Peter died as he was about to begin work on the concerto - a commission, he told close friends just before he died, he very much wanted to complete.

The new concerto composition by Jonathan Dove with a dedication to Sir Peter is about to be announced by the SCO and the world premiere will be given by Owen Murray and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in the 2018/19 concert series.
 
 
 

Accordion at the Royal Academy of Music from Royal Academy of Music on Vimeo.

Video: Copyright the Royal Academy of Music. For more details see
http://www.ram.ac.uk/departments/accordion

 

 
07 June 2017
 
Conservatorio Fausto Torrefranca
Owen will be giving masterclasses at the Conservatorio Fausto Torrefranca in Vibo Valentia, Italy, from 13th to 16th June 2017
 
 
25 March 2017
 
University website
Owen will hold masterclasses at the 'Juraj Dobrila University of Pula' on April 3/4/5
 
7th October 2016
 
 
Owen Murray will give a Masterclass
at the Conservatorio di Musica S. Cecilia,
Rome, 20th. 21st, 22nd October 2016
 
 
Masterclass info - scroll to page 2 and 3
   
   

The Royal Academy of Music has a new website,

with a page for the
Accordion Department. Access this here.

Sottish Chamber Orchestra Book 2nd May Book 3rd May Book 4th May Scottish Chamber Orchestra
 
 
   

 

Owen will play at the Castelfidardo International Accordion Festival on 19 September with the Derazey String Quartet. The festival will run from 17 to 20 September 2015.

LINK to the Festival website

   
 
Click photo of Owen to access an 11 minute interview on the PIF page (bottom)
 
You Tube interview
 

Patrick Nunn (Escape Velocity) - Italian premiere

Watch clip on YouTube
 
Gerardo Gozzi (new work) World Premiere
   
Poul Ruders (Serenade on the Shores of the Cosmic Ocean)

Watch 2nd mov on YouTube
   
The works by Patrick Nunn and Poul Ruders are dedicated to Owen Murray.
 
PAST EVENTS
CHINA: 5-12 August 2014

Owen will be adjudicating at the
Harbin Accordion Art Week
from 5 to 12 August.2014.
Harbin Summer Music Concert
Owen with a group of Tutors during the week in Harbin. (click this small picture for an enlargement)
 
Photos of Owen giving his masterclass during the week in Harbin.
 
Leckie Memorial Church
 
Interior, Leckie Memorial Church
 
 
 
 
Peebles Orchestra website

SPRING CHARITY CONCERT for CHRISTIAN AID

Saturday, 17 May 2014 at 7.30pm
PEEBLES ORCHESTRA

Conductor: Robert Dick
Owen Murray – accordion
Gary McLeod – guitar



An exciting programme featuring the unusual pairing
of accordion and guitar with orchestra framed
by two iconic works by Schubert.


Schubert – Overture ‘Claudine von Villa Bella
Gordon Jacob - Accordion Concerto
Piazzolla - Double Concerto for bandoneon and guitar
Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez
Schubert – Symphony No. 3


Saturday 7.30 p.m. May 17th 2014
The Leckie Memorial Church, Peebles

Tickets £10 (School Child £1)
From Robb’s Key Store, Peebles
Or by post from Mrs C. R. Garnett.
Glenternie Lodge, Manor Valley, by Peebles EH45 9JN
Cheques to ‘Peebles Orchestra’

Download a PDF of the concert - Location Map

14 December 2013

Genesins Academy
December 20103

Gnesins Concert Hall
Moscow Bayan Festival

Gnesins Russian Academy of Music

Invitation for

Owen Murray, accordion and
Emerald String Quartet

Two Russian Premieres:
Patrick Nunn -
Escape Velocity
and
Paul Ruders -
Serenade on the shores of the
cosmic dream

May 2013
Owen Murray's student Martynas Levickis lands a DECCA contract

MUSIC
'Lithuania's Got Talent' winner gets UK contract

By Anthony Barnes
An accordionist who won Lithuania's Got Talent and covers a Lady Gaga hit has landed a British record deal. Martynas Levickis, 22, who is a world champion on his instrument and a graduate of London's Royal Academy of Music, has become the first accordion player to be signed by Decca Classics and says he aims to bring the keyboard to a wider audience. The repertoire on his album Martynas, to be released in the sum- gious talent after his godfather gave him a tiny accordion as a child. He said: "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Decca and bring the accordion to an ever larger audience."
 

Genesins Academy
December 2010
Owen just got back from the Moscow Accordion Festival where he was awarded the coveted Silver Disc at the closing ceremony at the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music. It was a lovely moment for him, he informs us. They have promised to send a photo which we shall publish once received.
   
 
Sounds New Festival website
21 May 2011
Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival in Canterbury
on Saturday 21 May 2011
- ACCORDION DAY
Owen will run a workshop for composers on how to write for accordion in the morning, his students will give a lunch time concert, there will be an afternoon session, a workshop for accordionists and teachers, and an evening concert where he will play with his ensemble Waves. It will be their debut concert. The programme will include works by Gubaidulina, Nunn, and Ruders 'Serenade on the Shores of the Cosmic Ocean'. It's a super programme.
   
   
Dutch Treat - November 17th - Information from the RLPO website
Nov 17th 2010

Ensemble 10/10

Dutch Treat
Wednesday 17 November 2010 7:30 pm
The Cornerstone, Liverpool Hope University Creative Campus

Owen will be performing in 'White Eagle' by Martijn Padding.

The concert will be repeated in the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival,
21 November 2010, Venue: St Paul's Hall, University of Huddersfield, Time 17:00.


June 17th 2010
 
   
 
Owen's student Amadej Herzog wins RAM Club Prize - 16th June 2010.

Read More here
 
March 2010
BBC Radio 3 Schedule
Friday,
19th March
15:25



We mentioned that Owen recorded  ’Fairy-Tales’ by Vaclav Trojan with the BBC Concert Orchestra. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 Friday, March 19th.
A CD will at some point be available from the BBC Concert Orchestra site.

Listen Again link is no longer availab;e.

Owen Murray, accordion
BBC Concert Orchestra
Barry Wordsworth, conducting

 
January 2010
 
Owen Murray: Accordion Guru... Read/print the PDF... read the PDF (4.5 MB) - (click thumbnail)
7 pages - 4.5MB (please wait while it's loading) .......................recently published, English and Italian.
in the Italian Magazine: 'Strumenti & Musica' (September No.8 and December No.9) 2009 editions.
 
December 2009
Owen has recorded  ’Fairy-Tales’ by Vaclav Trojan with the BBC Concert Orchestra. It will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and a CD will be available from the BBC Concert Orchestra site soon. When details of the broadcast are available, we'll link.
 
 
December 2009
Owen has just formed an ensemble called ’Waves’. The Ensemble consists of accordion, strings, guitar woodwind, voice and percussion. This will be able to embrace all chamber works written for accordion and an interesting repertoire of transcriptions. The first project will be to record Poul Ruders ’Serenade on the Shores of the Cosmic Ocean2005 Review "The Independent" (end paragraph) and Patrick Nunn ’Escape-Velocity’. Both works dedicated to Owen Murray.
 
 
December 2009

Owen has formed a Duo with Royal Academy of Music professor of Viola, Jim Sleigh.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sottish Chamber Orchestra Book 2nd May Book 3rd May Book 4th May Scottish Chamber Orchestra