William Murdoch (pianist)

William David Murdoch (10 February 1888 – 9 September 1942) was an Australian pianist, composer and author.

Murdoch was born at Sandhurst (now Bendigo, Victoria), the son of Andrew Murdoch, an engineer, and his wife Annie, née Esler. At 11 years of age William began piano lessons and soon won several solo competitions. In 1903 he was awarded the first Bendigo Austral Scholarship. This entitled him to three years' tuition at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, where he continued his studies under William Adolphus Laver, later Ormond Professor of Music. In 1906 Murdoch won the (Sir William John) Clarke Scholarship, which entitled him to three years' tuition at the Royal College of Music, London. As the scholarship was not large enough to fully provide for the young man, it was agreed that he should receive the balance of his Austral Scholarship, and a further amount was raised from a concert and subscriptions at Bendigo. Murdoch spent four happy years at the London college and made great progress, under the guidance of Danish pianist and teacher, Frits Hartvigson.

Murdoch's first public recital at London towards the end of 1910 was very successful, and in 1912 he toured Australia with Louise Kirkby Lunn. He remained there in 1913 and toured with Dame Clara Butt and Kennerley Rumford. He was now a fine player with a sparkling technique, especially successful in his interpretation of the work of Chopin and Debussy. He toured the US and Canada during 1914, and for some time was with the band of the Grenadier Guards in France during the war. On 5 August 1915 Murdoch married Ellen Josephine Tuckfield in London.

Murdoch gave recitals in Scandinavia in 1918 and in the following year began his long association with the violinist Albert Sammons, which developed into the formation of the "Chamber Music Players". These two with Lionel Tertis and Lauri Kennedy did some remarkable ensemble playing. In 1919 he participated in the premieres of Sir Edward Elgar's Violin Sonata in E minor and Piano Quintet in A minor.

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