New Award for Murphy's Gothic Project

Simon Murphy has received major recognition by The Netherlands' Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (PCBF) for his multidisciplinary Gothic Project.

The PCBF recently named Murphy as the recipient of its new "Charles Burney Fonds". Consisting of a travel & study grant, the award gives Murphy the opportunity to carry out further research and to develop the next phase of the project.

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson (1767–1824) 
Ossian Receiving the Ghosts of French Heroes (1802)

Murphy's Gothic Project explores the 18th century foundations of the highly influential pan-European aesthetic, genre and subculture. With the project, Murphy aims to identify the 18th century "on stage" Gothic "look and feel", discovering how this was brought to life utilising text, music, backdrops, lighting, projections and special effects.

Putting his discoveries into practice, Murphy will deliver a new series of engaging "total experience" concert programmes and festival/theatre productions.

In earlier research-phases of the project, Murphy had already uncovered powerful but forgotten Gothic and related repertoire. The new grant enables him to intensify the project, to delve deeper and further explore key continental historic music archives, theatres and art collections. It will see Murphy visit centres including Weimar, Dresden, Berlin, Paris and Stockholm in the coming months.

Following successful pilot programmes exploring the theme, Murphy's new series of Gothic Project concert programmes and theatrical productions will be ready for implementation in season 2021 - 2022 onwards. The productions feature Murphy together with the New Dutch Academy as well as in the role of guest conductor with other orchestras.