Roderick Murray

Roderick Murray installation design and lighting design for performance, internationally since 1989.

2020 Bessie Award recognition for Outstanding Production for Through the mirror of their eyes at New York Live Arts, choreography by Kimberly Bartosik,

Link to short reel of videos: https://vimeo.com/364149398

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The majority of his work has been with dance, operas, and music, both experimental and traditional.  Murray has been designing and creating the lighting and environments in all of Kimberly Bartosik's choreographic works since 2000, including performing a duet for light and body with Kimberly. Together they also teach workshops that use light as a generative element for choreography. 

Murray has designed the lighting for Ralph Lemon’s performance works since 2004 including major touring works in the US, including at BAM, and in France for the Lyon Opéra Ballet. 

Murray’s designs for Benjamin Millepied, and Los Angeles Dance Project, include many world premieres at venues in Europe and the U.S. and he has designed Millepied’s commissioned works for NYCB, ABT, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Lyon Opèra Ballet, Ballett Dortmund and others.  

In 2006 he designed the lighting for Sekou Sundiata's epic 51st Dream State at the BAM opera house.  In 2008 he was invited to design the lighting for Paul Simon's Songs from the Capeman, in the BAM Harvey.  Murray designed the premiere of Grisha Coleman’s Hot Mouth at the Peacock Theater at the West End in London in 1996.  

INSTALLATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS of light and lights are a major part of Murray’s approach to designing spaces, performances, fund-raising galas, and gallery openings.  Over the course of years of approaching his designs in this way, he has fabricated and created unique lighting fixtures and prototypes that were used in the context of specific events, but are also available as singular pieces for purchase and display.  His first major installation in 2011 was commissioned and supported by FIAF’s Crossing the Line Festival at the Payne Whitney House on Fifth Avenue in NYC. 

MURRAY TEACHES LIGHTING DESIGN and production design and skills at the level of Master Lecturer, and has been teaching and mentoring students since 2001.   He has taught at the University level at Purchase College, Hunter College, University of the Arts, and Hollins University.

He collaborates regularly with Kathy Westwater, and Dusan Tynek, and designed many projects for Wally Cardona both at BAM and internationally. Murray designed many projects with Luca Veggetti, including the US premiere of Iannis Xenakis’ Opera Oresteia at the Miller Theater in New York, and for Morphoses, and Cedar Lake. He designed the lighting Karen Sherman’s remarkable Softgoods, and has also designed for Roseanne Spradlin, Ballet di Roma, Jessica Mitrani, David Thomson, Troy Schumacher (Ballet Collective), Yanira Castro, Melinda Ring, Yasuko Yokoshi, Tim Fain, Ethel, Morphoses, Donna Uchizono, Paradigm, Scotty Heron, Pepatian, Pennsylvania Ballet, Clarinda Mac Low, Ballet Idaho, Cori Olinghouse, Risa Jaroslow and Dancers, Bill Young and Dancers, Ricochet Dance, and many others.

Murray also performed for nine years with the fabulous Circus Amok, and was recently the DJ in Jérôme Bel’s “The Show Must Go On”.  

He thanks Dahlia and Kimberly for their everlasting love and support.