Alana Murphy

Description

I'm a versatile pianist in NYC available for cocktail events, weddings, parties, fundraisers, and any other event that could benefit from some sweet keyboard stylings. A skilled improviser with a broad repertoire at my fingertips, I am able to curate sets that match a given atmosphere-- you might hear a Chopin nocturne from me at the beginning of a party, and then a pastiche of disco numbers at the end when things have gotten looser! I'm also a strong sight reader who is willing to learn new music for gigs, so send me your requests.

Biography

Born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula and now based in NYC, Alana Murphy has forged an eclectic career as a pianist, musicologist, educator, vocalist, and freelance writer. Alana has performed solo piano recitals in venues such as Elebash Recital Hall and the DiMenna Center for the Arts. Equally at home as a collaborative artist, Alana most recently served as music director and pianist for “Ice-ing on the Cake,” a multidisciplinary double-bill opera from La Senta Productions (a new company dedicated to creating accessible and unconventional theater experiences). Alana frequently appea ... rs in recital with mezzo-soprano Caitlin Caruso-Dobbs, and she will perform Schubert’s Die Schöne Müllerin later this season with tenor Drew Ivarson. Also sought-after as an improvisatory pianist for dance due to her musicality and background in ballet, Alana has accompanied technique classes and performances at Gelsey Kirkland Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet School, Juilliard, and Boston Ballet School.
Alana began her piano studies with Barbara Ruzicka in Carmel, CA, and also developed an early affinity for working with singers when her sister, soprano Marielle Murphy, appointed Alana her “in-house” pianist. (The Murphy Sisters still try to perform together whenever they manage to be on the same continent). Alana continued her musical education at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, attaining Bachelor and Master’s degrees in piano performance under the guidance of Arnaldo Cohen and the late, great Edmund Battersby. While at Indiana, Alana also received a B.A. in French literature, and gained experience in chamber music, early music, and contemporary choral music. Post-IU, she relocated to NYC and continued her piano studies with Ursula Oppens and Seymour Bernstein. Alana received an M.Phil. in musicology from the CUNY Graduate Center, specializing in nineteenth-century musical aesthetics and the history of ballet; she has presented scholarly papers at national and international conferences, and has contributed original program notes for professional organizations such as the Orange County Philharmonic Society and the Laguna Beach Chamber Music Festival.
Passionate as an educator, Alana has taught piano privately, and has been an instructor for music theory, history, and aural skills courses at Indiana University and within the CUNY system. Currently she works as an assistant editor for RILM, an international database of musical scholarship. Also active as a vocalist Alana is a soprano in the professional Renaissance ensemble Polyhymnia, and will jump at most any opportunity to sing early music or new music. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband Arthur and their two rescue coonhounds, Layla and Charlie.
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Suitable for

Anniversary Party Charity / Fundraising Event Christmas Party Cocktail Party / Drinks Reception Corporate Event Dinner Party Funeral/Memorial Service Hotel Event New Year's Eve Party Private Party Restaurant / Bar / Pub Event Wedding Ceremony Wedding Cocktail/Drinks Reception Wedding Reception