Paul Murphy, former Music Director of the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra, is one of Britain's foremost young conductors. He is Principal Conductor of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet - a position that includes concerts and CD recordings as well as the orchestra's regular commitments in the theatre. His busy freelance schedule includes regular recordings and concerts with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and performances with the Royal Ballet Covent Garden. He made his debut with the Royal Ballet Company in the USA in 1994, and has since returned to guest conduct every year. He first conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in 1997 in a studio recording of Bax's 5th Symphony, and has returned to conduct a number of other works. He has recorded several performances for BBC television, including Delibes' Coppelia and the Royal Opera House Closing Gala. In April 1996 he was runner-up in the Donatella Flick International Conducting Competition, where he conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in excerpts from Berlioz' Romeo and Juliet. In 1998 he released his first CD recording of Paul Meade's Far from the Madding Crowd on the Black Box label. Paul's other recent activities include performances in Belfast with the Royal Ballet and the Ulster Orchestra, concerts in Monmouth and Swansea with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and several appearances with the New Queen's Hall Orchestra.