Hal Parfitt Murray

Hal Parfitt Murray was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, a fairly short time ago. When he was not much older, his parents (fleeing the Russians) whisked him off to Australia where he got his trademark tan, penchant for talking unconcernedly about snakes and crocodiles, and saying "Streuth!" in cold blood. It was in Australia therefore that Hal began to play fiddle at the grand old age of somewhere between 6 and 11 (can't remember). There, because of the multiple nature of the Australian folk tradition, he learned to mix up Irish, Scottish, English and even Scandinavian tunes to such a degree that he now gets punched wheresoever in Europe he goes.------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------Apart from folk tunes, Hal also composes contemporary classical (for want of a better word) pieces, that can be heard on this site. (For more folk-related stuff, please see Basco's site) He has also performed and/or recorded with Danish little-bloomin'-genius Kristine Heebøl, English underground rock band "Maybe Myrtle Tyrtle", Danish melodion-guru Carl Erik Lundgaard, with Danish guitar-dynamo Sigurd Hockings, delicate Danish Song-bird Rikke Lundorff and deliciously angry North-American Dana Wylie, as well as various other folk, blues and jazz names - mainly in Britain and Denmark.---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------In 2006, he completed a masters degree in composition at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, under the watchful eye of Bennett Hogg, and in may 2007, he completed another masters in traditional music in the summer of 2007, studying under shooting-star fiddler Harald Hauggard and Swedish Folk-music's grand old man and avant-guard composer, Mats Eden.------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------Hal has toured in Britain, Denmark and Norway, Ireland, Canada and South Korea, (As well as a small, ill fated foray into Germany, and an impromptu solo gig in customs in China - but we don't talk about those...) and really enjoys it - so don't feel embarrassed about calling him from far off lands and offering him large amounts of money to come and play for you. I promise you he will be pleased to hear from you.