Murrough Connolly is an award-winning composer and classical guitarist from Tralee, Co Kerry. Currently based in Manchester, he is studying for a PhD under the supervision of Prof. Camden Reeves. Murrough’s work strives to uncover innovative strategies for harmonic colour by challenging conventional harmonic practices. While his recent compositions investigate unique post-spectral connections with meticulous attention to detail, other pieces adopt a much more liberal approach by intuitively combining contemporary classical techniques with the blues and guitar guitar music of his youth. Several of his compositions have also investigated how subjective perceptions of visual colours can inspire harmonic colours.

Murrough’s music has been performed by a wide range of outstanding performers and ensembles across the UK and Ireland, including: Psappha Ensemble, Quatuor Danel, The Carducci Quartet, Katherine Hunka and The Irish Guitar Quartet. These performances have resulted in exciting commissions to write music for the UCC Singers and The Kerry School of Music. His violin duo, Imperium, was commissioned by the 2022 SCS Killaloe Music Festival and broadcast by RTE Lyric FM on ‘The Full Score with Liz Nolan’ Show on 15 May 2023.

In 2022, Murrough was selected for Psappha Ensemble’s ‘Composing for Piano’ Scheme and the Peter Reynolds Composer Studio, a one-week composer residency run by the Vale of Glamorgan Festival. In 2023,  he was one of three composers to win the 2023 West Cork Chamber Music Festival Composition Competition with his string quartet, Ildaite. He was also a finalist in Festival Musical Durtal’s International Piano Composition Competition. 

Murrough is an associate composer represented by the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland (CMC). His works are documented and disseminated as part of their collection.