Murray McLachlan
Encyclopedia
Murray McLachlan, OStJ (born 6 January 1965, Dundee
, Scotland
), is a British
concert pianist
.
His repertoire includes over 40 concertos and he has appeared as concerto soloist with many leading UK orchestras. He gave the last concerto performance of the 20th century in the Royal Albert Hall
when he played Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
at the 'Millennium Proms' with the BBC Concert Orchestra
under Christopher Warren-Green
. In the 2000-2001 season he made his debut as a conductor, directing the Mozart Festival Orchestra on a national tour.
His overseas engagements have included recitals in the U.S.
, Scandinavia
and South Africa
, as well as tours of the Soviet Union
, Germany
, Belgium
, Holland, and the Far East
. In 1997 he was awarded a knighthood by the Order of St John of Jerusalem in recognition of his services to music in Malta
.
He has recorded several cycles of Russia
n music: Prokofiev, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, Tcherepnin, Vainberg
, Shchedrin
, and Myaskovsky. His discography also includes music by Hamish MacCunn
and a concerto based on sketches left by Grieg for a second piano concerto. He also released a cross-over album with jazz saxophonist Tommy Smith
.
During the 1997-98 season he undertook a series of fifty Chopin recitals featuring the four Ballades in aid of the Marie Curie
Cancer Fund's Golden Jubilee. He has given tours for North West Arts, the Scottish Arts Council and the British Council
. Broadcasts include recitals, concertos and chamber music for the BBC
as well as Classic FM
, and recordings of Russian repertoire for Dutch and Belarus
ian television.
He has given first performances of works by many composers, including Jeremy Thurlow
, Ronald Stevenson
, Charles Camilleri
, Michael Parkin, and Beethoven. His recording of John McLeod
's Piano Music was selected as Record of the Week in the Glasgow Herald and his recording of 'Piano Music from Scotland' was awarded a rosette in the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs.
His discography includes over thirty commercial recordings on the Olympia, Linn, Divineart, Claremont, and Redbrook labels.
As Head of Keyboard at Chetham's School of Music
, McLachlan is also a teacher and regularly gives masterclasses around the UK.
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
concert pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
His repertoire includes over 40 concertos and he has appeared as concerto soloist with many leading UK orchestras. He gave the last concerto performance of the 20th century in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
when he played Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects....
at the 'Millennium Proms' with the BBC Concert Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra
The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra....
under Christopher Warren-Green
Christopher Warren-Green
Christopher Warren-Green is a British violinist and conductor. He attended Westminster City Grammar School and the Royal Academy of Music....
. In the 2000-2001 season he made his debut as a conductor, directing the Mozart Festival Orchestra on a national tour.
His overseas engagements have included recitals in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as well as tours of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Holland, and the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. In 1997 he was awarded a knighthood by the Order of St John of Jerusalem in recognition of his services to music in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
He has recorded several cycles of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n music: Prokofiev, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, Tcherepnin, Vainberg
Vainberg
Vainberg is a surname, and may refer to:* Brian Vainberg* Mieczysław Weinberg), Soviet composer* Mordechai Vainberg , mathematician* Yakov Vainberg , Ukrainian-American composer...
, Shchedrin
Shchedrin
Shchedrin is a Russian name. It may refer to:* Grigori Shchedrin, Soviet submariner* Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin , Russian writer* Rodion Shchedrin , Russian composer* Semion Shchedrin , Russian painter...
, and Myaskovsky. His discography also includes music by Hamish MacCunn
Hamish MacCunn
thumb|right|Portrait of MacCunn, 1889, by [[John Pettie]]Hamish MacCunn , Scottish romantic composer, was born in Greenock, the son of a shipowner, and was educated at the Royal College of Music, where his teachers included Sir Hubert Parry and Sir Charles Villiers Stanford.MacCunn's first success...
and a concerto based on sketches left by Grieg for a second piano concerto. He also released a cross-over album with jazz saxophonist Tommy Smith
Tommy Smith (saxophonist)
Tommy Smith is a jazz saxophonist, composer and educator. The late jazz critic Richard Cook said of him, 'Of the generation which emerged in the mid-80s, he might be the most outstandingly talented'.-Biography:...
.
During the 1997-98 season he undertook a series of fifty Chopin recitals featuring the four Ballades in aid of the Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
Cancer Fund's Golden Jubilee. He has given tours for North West Arts, the Scottish Arts Council and the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
. Broadcasts include recitals, concertos and chamber music for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as well as Classic FM
Classic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
, and recordings of Russian repertoire for Dutch and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian television.
He has given first performances of works by many composers, including Jeremy Thurlow
Jeremy Thurlow
Jeremy Thurlow is an English composer. He studied music at Cambridge University and composition with Alexander Goehr, before spending a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama studying composition and music-theatre, and then taking a PhD at King’s College, London.His compositions include...
, Ronald Stevenson
Ronald Stevenson
Ronald Stevenson is a British composer, pianist, and writer about music.-Biography:The son of a Scottish father and English mother, Stevenson studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music , studying composition with Richard Hall and piano with Iso Elinson, graduating with distinction...
, Charles Camilleri
Charles Camilleri
Charles Camilleri was a Maltese composer, long acknowledged as Malta's national composer.Camilleri was born in Ħamrun and, as a teenager, had already composed a number of works based on folk music and legends of his native Malta...
, Michael Parkin, and Beethoven. His recording of John McLeod
John McLeod (composer)
John McLeod is a contemporary composer based in Edinburgh, who writes music in many media including film and television...
's Piano Music was selected as Record of the Week in the Glasgow Herald and his recording of 'Piano Music from Scotland' was awarded a rosette in the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs.
His discography includes over thirty commercial recordings on the Olympia, Linn, Divineart, Claremont, and Redbrook labels.
As Head of Keyboard at Chetham's School of Music
Chetham's School of Music
Chetham's School of Music , familiarly known as "Chets", is a specialist independent co-educational music school, situated in Manchester city centre, in North West England. It was established in 1969, incorporating Chetham's Hospital School, founded as a charity school by Humphrey Chetham in 1653...
, McLachlan is also a teacher and regularly gives masterclasses around the UK.