Owen Murray to step down as Head of Accordion

In 1986 Owen Murray was the founding Head of Accordion at the Royal Academy of Music. After 40 years of leading the Department with great distinction, teaching and mentoring generations of the world’s leading accordionists, Owen will be stepping down to focus on performing and recording work in December 2026. From January 2027 he will be the Emeritus Professor of Accordion.

Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal, comments: ‘Owen’s achievements as the father of the accordion at the Academy, and well beyond our shores, are simply legendary. He has evolved a programme which has established the accordion as a mainstream discipline at the Academy through his dedicated pedagogy and performance. Crucially, his students have gone on to lead the field internationally with careers that are truly pathfinding. I am deeply grateful for his leadership and look forward to the next chapter of the accordion at the Academy’.