Various Composers - Simple Gifts (Otis Murphy; Masaki Tadenuma; Haruko Murphy)

Information

1. Ryota Ishikawa - The Dance of Joy
2. Traditional - Simple Gifts
3. Ryota Ishikawa - The Goddess and Hourglass
4. Ryota Ishikawa - Songs Across the Sea: Four Songs from Japan and America: I. Autumn Colored Leaves (Momiji)
5. Ryota Ishikawa - Songs Across the Sea: Four Songs from Japan and America: II. When Johnny Comes Marching Home
6. Ryota Ishikawa - Songs Across the Sea: Four Songs from Japan and America: III. A Rabbit (Usagi) - The Moon Above Rain Clouds (Amefuri Otsukisan)
7. Ryota Ishikawa - Songs Across the Sea: Four Songs from Japan and America: IV. Back Home Again in Indiana
8. James Horner - Somewhere Out There
9. Jean-Marie Leclair - Sonata in C for Two Violins: I. Allegro
10. Jean-Marie Leclair - Sonata in C for Two Violins: II. Sarabanda - Largo
11. Jean-Marie Leclair - Sonata in C for Two Violins: III. Allegro
12. Steven Galante - The Pawn
13. Jay Ungar - Ashokan Farewell

Masaki Tadenuma, saxophone

Otis Murphy, saxophone

Haruko Murphy, piano

Renée Murphy, harp

Ethan Murphy, cello

Date: 2026

Label: Navona

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On SIMPLE GIFTS, musicians Otis Murphy, Haruko Murphy, and Masaki Tadenuma celebrate the transformative power of family, friendship, and cross-cultural collaboration. Uniting artists from the United States and Japan, this collection blends personal histories, cherished melodies, and fresh creative perspectives into deeply intimate yet expansive performances. Guided by mutual respect and artistic generosity, the album demonstrates how music can cross geographic distances, highlight shared human connections, and elevate simple musical gestures into lasting personal and creative bonds.

Otis Murphy is a Professor of Saxophone at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and an internationally sought-after soloist and educator. He has performed in over 25 countries at premier venues, including Carnegie Hall, Tokyo’s Casals Hall, and Valencia’s Palau de la Música. As a dedicated pedagogue, Murphy has taught at prestigious institutions global festivals, such as the Paris and Amsterdam Conservatories. Outside of his distinguished academic and performing career, he spends his free time outdoors grilling, hiking, and fishing with his family.

Japanese-born pianist Haruko Murphy relocated to the United States as a teenager before earning her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees with Highest Distinction from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under Menahem Pressler. She further refined her craft at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in the Netherlands. An active collaborative pianist, Murphy performs alongside her husband, saxophonist Otis Murphy, with whom she resides in Bloomington, Indiana, raising their six children.

Saxophonist Masaki Tadenuma, a graduate and current lecturer at the Tokyo College of Music and its affiliated high school, began his studies there on a special scholarship. A prizewinner at the 28th Japan Wind and Percussion Competition, Tadenuma performs extensively with orchestras across Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and beyond. He actively expands the saxophone's repertoire through innovative projects, including organ collaborations. His discography as a recording artist includes two solo albums, The Moment and TADENIZE.

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