Robert Pfenning Murray

MURRAY, Robert Pfenning, October 24, 1936 – August 11, 2020. Dr. Robert Murray, violinist, pedagogue and concert artist, has died at age 83. Dr. Murray was Chairman of the String Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, where for many years he taught violin and performed with the Smetana Trio. Later, he became the long time musical partner of organist, Ardyth Lohuis. Their Murray/Lohuis Duo concertized widely, bringing many unknown compositions for violin and organ to audiences, commissioning several works and publishing their recordings on the Raven label. Dr. Murray had previously taught at Baylor University in Texas, at the University of North Colorado in Greeley, and after retiring, taught part-time at the University of Richmond.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Murray obtained his first two college degrees from the American Conservatory in Chicago, where he studied with Scott Willits, the first American Representative of Sevcik. His music theory teacher there was Leo Sowerby, who asked him to premiere one of Sowerby's violin Sonatas. Later, Robert recorded it for the Sowerby Foundation, accompanied by another American Conservatory graduate, Gail Quillman.

In 1975, Murray and pianist, Daniel Graham gave a New York debut at Town Hall, and later recorded some of the Saint-Saens and Anton Rubinstein Sonatas for violin and piano. Robert also recorded the unaccompanied violin Fantasies by Telemann for The Musical Heritage Society. Partnering in these recordings were accompaniments by another of his valued and musical pianist friends, Jane Abbott-Kirk, with whom he taught at Baylor.

While completing his master's degree, Murray was drafted. He enlisted in the Navy O.C.S. program, where he became an Officer in Cryptographic Electronics. Stationed on Guam, he further developed his interest in electronics and acoustics, which ultimately became one of the minor degree concentrations for his doctoral studies. He briefly enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison while also serving as Assistant Concertmaster of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra. Murray then became a member of the Nashville String Quartet and was the Personnel Manager of the Nashville Symphony, where he worked with Willis Page and others to obtain a Ford Foundation Grant which was the beginning of a full-time symphony orchestra in that city. Like many musicians in Nashville at that time, he moonlighted as a studio musician in the recording studios, and played backup music for Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Boots Randolf and many others. This experience allowed him to serve as both recording engineer and artist for his many recordings, all of which were done in concert halls with natural acoustics rather than in a recording studio.

As concertmaster of the Amici della Musica Chamber Orchestra in Santa Clara, California, Murray was appointed as Artist-in-Residence at the University of Santa Clara. Robert went from there to earn his doctorate at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he studied with Tadeusz Wronski and participated in Master Classes of Josef Gingold, Franco Gulli and William Primrose. Known for his remarkable technique and facility, speed was something he enjoyed, and not only on a violin fingerboard. He had considered becoming an engineer, and his favorite pastime was "improving" the speed of sports cars by installing larger engines from different manufacturers in them. He built a copy of the English Lotus Super Seven from the ground up with square tubing, a welder and fibreglas, and after completion it was inspected, declared street legal and on sunny days was often seen in the faculty parking lot at VCU in Richmond.

Dr. Murray is survived by his wife, Janet Slapikes;and son, Robert Murray Jr. He was preceded in death by his brother, William J. Murray of Madison and later, of Janesville, Wis. A more complete list of his recordings, publications and other information can be found in Wikipedia, as well as on the www.classicalmusicva.com/mlduo website. Robert chose to be cremated. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages friends to work with a friendly keyboard player to bring in a violinist to play prior to a special holiday church or other service, or perhaps even to help sponsor a concert that features music for violin and pipe organ. A memorial service marking the anniversary of his death is tentatively being planned for August 2021.

*Photo by Dee Campbell