Composer, conductor, and reluctant vocalist, Cullyn D. Murphy (he/him) focuses on amplifying the already existent musical components of sight, taste, touch, and smell in order to gain access to different modes of storytelling through music. His work revisits his rock band roots in communal music-making by creating music that engages with different varieties of performer input through unconventional notation and co-composition. Cullyn's music has been described as “theatrical," "riveting and inventive,” and "push[ing] the idea of what music and musical organization is." (Composer's Toolbox) Recently, Cullyn’s work has focused on creating extramusical objects to accompany his compositions such as a retro video game program note, an AI-produced radio broadcast, an Instagram Augmented Reality Filter, and performer-created postcards.
Cullyn is currently a Visiting Assitant Professor of Music at Beloit College where he leads students to discover and engage with music through creative projects, collaboration, and performance. He teaches music theory, composition/songwriting, genre, and film music. He also directs MULTI–a multidisciplinary ensemble where students of any creative practice create and perform new pieces and installations to be presented as an ensemble.
Cullyn has received fellowships through the RED NOTE New Music Festival, the Loretto Project, and the Line Upon Line Winter Composer Festival. His work has been presented at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute Residency Program, the Columbia Music Scholarship Conference, the "Music for a New World": Harvard Graduate Music Conference, and the International Shakuhachi Festival–Prague. Cullyn's music has been performed and commissioned by the Longleash Trio, Fifth House Ensemble, Line Upon Line Percussion, the Thompson Street Opera Company, Unheard-of Ensemble, Illinois State University's Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Louisville University Symphony Orchestra, Wm. Riley Leitch, Will Yager, Jasmine Tsui, and many others. His private studies include Roy Magnuson, Carl Schimmel, Sean Shepherd, Martha C. Horst, Steve Rouse, Krzysztof Wolek, Eric Moe, Mathew Rosenblum, and Amy Williams.
