Daniel Murphy

Daniel Murphy specialises in performing a variety of plucked-stringed instruments and enjoys a solo career as well as collaborating with many different singers and instrumentalists. Inspired by the great lute players of the past, historical accuracy is at the heart of his music-making.

As a young guitarist, Daniel Murphy studied at the Junior Guildhall Music Department for 4 years with Mark Eden and Matthew Robinson. He then started his Undergraduate studies at the Royal College of Music studying Classical Guitar with Carlos Bonell.

During the first two years of his degree, he gradually transitioned to the historical performance department and in his third year, he became RCM’s first ever undergraduate principal-study theorbo player, studying with Jakob Lindberg. In 2023, he graduated from a Masters of Performance Degree with distinction.

Daniel’s freelance work includes collaborating with ensembles such as the Gabrieli Consort, the Dunedin Consort, Ex-Cathedra, Armonico Consort, and London Baroque Orchestra. As a lutenist, he regularly performs lute song with numerous singers including Emma Kirkby, Mary Bevan and Hugh Cutting. Opera forms a large part of his continuo playing, performing works including Handel’s Rodelinda; Purcell’s Fairy Queen, Dido & Aeneas and Monteverdi’s l’Orfeo.

As part of the Flutes & Frets Duo alongside Beth Stone, he has won various competitions, most recently the Romanus Weichlein Prize for the advancement of Austrian Music at the 2023 International H.I.F. Biber Competition and the 2022 La Follia Nuova International Chamber Music Competition. They recently collaborated with the EEFEA to perform at various international early music festivals. They recently recorded their debut album which is due to come out this Autumn.

As part of the Bellot Ensemble Daniel has found a love for 17th century music. The ensemble has been selected as the new BBC Young Generation Baroque Ensemble and as Britten Peers Artists. This year they recorded their Debut Album which is due to come out in August.

Career highlights include performing with the Taverner Consort, conducted by Andrew Parrott in Frauenchiemsee, Germany and numerous features on Radio 3’s Early Music Show and a recent performance on WDR 3 Alte Musik. In May he won the First International Lute Competition of the German Lute Society and In 2024 he Won the La Risonanza EMSA Competition.