The Murray-Brennan Duo are dedicated to bringing new music to life for the unusual pairing of trumpet and guitar. Working closely with composers, the duo explores fresh sounds and unexpected textures, pushing the boundaries of what this distinctive musical combination can achieve.
Part of Australian National University's Australian and near-Pacific neighbours First Nations Composers Gathering. Performances of works be Leilehua Lanzilotti, Christopher Sainsbury, Nardi Simpson, Rhyan Clapham, and Troy Russell with Ensemble Three, Lyrebird Brass, and students from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Concert
Melbourne Composers' League: Elbow Room Concert
Saturday, 4 October 2025 @ 2:00pm
Church of All Nations | Carlton, Australia
Including the world premiere of
Erratic Orbit by Moulatlet
Johanna Selleck - Spiel
Alan Holley - Fallen Light
Ken Murray - Figbird & Torresian Crow from "Birding for Birdies" ...along with works by Colin McKellar, Andrián Pertout, Howard Dillon, and Paul Moulatlet performed by Johanna Selleck (flute) and Kevin Tamanini (piano)
Concert
Trumpet and Guitar Recital
Thursday, 20 March 2025 @ 7:30pm
Tempo Rubato | Melbourne, Australia
Christopher Sainsbury - Pacifica Caerwen Martin - Sleepless
Ken Murray - Birding for Birdies Andrew Ford - Deep Riffs [world premiere] Enis Mullaj - Digging Kris Sopiqoti -
Concert
Album Launch - Singing Stone: The Music of Chris Sainsbury
Tuesday, 17 September 2024 @ 7:30pm
Hanson Dyer Hall | Melbourne, Australia
This concert celebrates the launch of a new album of music by Christopher Sainsbury on ABC Classics.
Concert
DAM Festival Prishtina
Thursday, 30 May 2024 @ 7:30pm
Barabar Centre | Prishtina, Kosovo
Works for trumpet and guitar by Albanian and Kosovo composers Enis Mullaj,
Kris Sopoqoti,
Jetmir Zaganjori, Kreshnik Aliçkaj, Avni Krasniqi, and by Australians Johanna Selleck and Alan Holley.
Concert
Albanian Brass Festival
Wednesday, 29 May 2024 @ 7:30pm
Universitetit të Arteve | Tirana, Albania
Works for trumpet and guitar by Albanian and Australian composers Enis Mullaj,
Kris Sopoqoti, Eriona Rushiti,
Jetmir Zaganjori, Johanna Selleck, and Alan Holley.
News
New Album! Singing Stone: The Music of Christopher Sainsbury
Ensemble Three are featured on the new album Singing Stone: The Music of Christopher Sainsbury to be released in April 2024. The title track is a major work in five movements written for Ensemble Three. The album includes Ken's guitar on each track and Joel is featured on for the duo Pacific, arranged for trumpet and guitar. Both recordings are world premieres.
News
Performances in Italy, Albania, and Kosovo
Ken Murray & Joel will perform at the Paganini Guitar Festival in Parma, Italy before we heading Albania and Kosovo for concerts featuring new works Enis Mullaj, Kris Sopoqoti, Eriona Rushiti, Jetmir Zaganjori, Kreshnik Aliçkaj, Avni Krasniqi, Johanna Selleck, and Alan Holley.
New Recording: Caerwen Martin's Sleepless with Ken Murray
Between Melbourne's two strict lockdowns in 2020, Ken Murray and I got together to experiment with recording ourselves. We made a recording of Sleepless, a hauntingly-beautiful piece by Caerwen Martin. Shoelace Creative made a video for the music so we could include it in the Guitar Perspectives Online Celebration.
Recordings
Singing Stone: The Music of Christopher Sainsbury
ABC Classics
Featuring the premiere recording of Pacifica alongside works performed by Merinda Dias-Jayasinha, Laila Engle, and Ensemble Three.
Both Limelight and the The Australian gave the album four stars, with the latter describing the performers as "breathtaking" and "impressive." The Music Trust notes the “superb trumpet work" by Joel and praises Ken for his "precise and evocative solo playing."
Caerwen Martin wrote this piece in 2018 for Ken and Joel. The piece is about the experience of insomnia and opens with the indication "strangely awake". Caerwen writes for acoustic and amplified instruments as well as electronic-based works. Her work is usually based on the natural environment, dreams and significant emotional experiences.
Video by Shoelace Creative.
Part of Australian National University's Australian and near-Pacific neighbours First Nations Composers Gathering. Performances of works be Leilehua Lanzilotti, Christopher Sainsbury, Nardi Simpson, Rhyan Clapham, and Troy Russell with Ensemble Three, Lyrebird Brass, and students from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Ensemble Three are featured on the new album Singing Stone: The Music of Christopher Sainsbury to be released in April 2024. The title track is a major work in five movements written for Ensemble Three. The album includes Ken's guitar on each track and Joel is featured on for the duo Pacific, arranged for trumpet and guitar. Both recordings are world premieres.
World premiere performance of Andrián Pertout's "Una per Ornette" for trumpet and electric guitar with Paul Moulatlet's "Erratic Orbit"
Including the world premiere of
Erratic Orbit by Moulatlet
This concert celebrates the launch of a new album of music by Christopher Sainsbury on ABC Classics. 
Works for trumpet and guitar by Albanian and Kosovo composers Enis Mullaj,
Kris Sopoqoti,
Jetmir Zaganjori, Kreshnik Aliçkaj, Avni Krasniqi, and by Australians Johanna Selleck and Alan Holley.
Works for trumpet and guitar by Albanian and Australian composers Enis Mullaj,
Kris Sopoqoti, Eriona Rushiti,
Jetmir Zaganjori, Johanna Selleck, and Alan Holley.
with Ken Murray