Rebecca Murphy and Cahal Masterson, frequent collaborators in recital and discography, have just finished recording Rebecca's debut album, Traverser, due to be released in 2025. Today, they present a programme featuring contemporary Irish composers including Jonathan Nangle and Anselm McDonnell (inspired by Rebecca's own alma mater Queens University Belfast), blended with music by Szymanowski and Chopin, highlighting the duo's specific interest in Polish repertoire and hence shedding light on the Polish population of Northern Ireland.

Programme:

Head - Over the rim of the Moon 

1.    The Ships of Arcady 

4.    Nocturne 

Nangle - Snáth 

1.    An Croí

2.    Snáth

3.    Chugat

Chopin - Polish Songs Op. 74

3.   Smutna Rzeka 

6.   Precz z moich oczu 

McDonnell - Moving House

Szymanowski - Songs of the Fairytale Princess 

1.     Samotny Księžyc

4.     Taniec      

5.     Pieśń o Fali

McDonnell - Kraina 

3.     Kraina 

Northern Irish Soprano, Rebecca Murphy, hailed by Opera Journal for her ‘stunning delivery’, is making waves across the UK and Europe on both the concert and operatic platforms. She was a member of the Internationales Opernstudio at Oper Köln from 2020-22, and previously was a member of the Northern Ireland Opera Studio (2018-19). She is also a regular guest with the Ulster Orchestra and the Belfast Ensemble.  

Rebecca’s recent roles on the operatic stage include Zerbinetta Ariadne auf Naxos for Garsington Opera, Najade Ariadne auf Naxos for Nederlandse Reisopera, Blonde Die Entführung aus dem Serail for Oper Köln, Frasquita Carmen, Sandmännchen/Taumännchen Hänsel und Gretel, Pünktchen Pünktchen und Anton, Woglinde Das Rheingold für jung und alt, Dritte Norn/Woglinde Götterdämmerung für jung und alt, and Helmwige Die Walküre für jung und alt – all for Oper Köln.  

Also a lover of contemporary music, she works regularly with Irish composers including Anselm McDonnell, Conor Mitchell, and Ian Wilson. Her debut album – Traverser (funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland), is influenced by this style, as well as a heavy focus around Polish repertoire – another area of interest. Working closely with duo-partner, pianist Cahal Masterson, she has also featured on Anselm McDonnell’s album Kraina, and has premiered the material at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, as well as performing it in various recitals across Ireland and the UK.  

Rebecca is the recipient of the Arts Council Northern Ireland Young Musicians Platform Award (2022). 

Northern Ireland pianist Cahal Masterson has performed extensively as a soloist, vocal repetiteur and chamber musician throughout Europe, North America, and Suzhou, China. He regular gives concerts in Ireland with recent performances including chamber collaborations with the Ulster Orchestra, debut performances at House of Waterford Crystal, Sligo Con Brio, Belfast International Arts Festival, Queen's University Belfast, Music for Galway, Drogheda Classical Music, and Castleconnell Concert Series. He enjoys a varied musical career which also encompasses music education and championing exciting new Irish compositions. A Graduate of the RIAM Dublin, Cahal pursued postgraduate study at Shenandoah University, USA and The Glenn Gould School in Toronto, Canada.