Chenoa Murphy

Born and raised in Memphis, TN, at age two Chenoa Murphy attended her first classical music concert given by Japanese violin students of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. This sparked her interest in music, and she was enrolled in the Suzuki Violin Method a year later.

Throughout her childhood Chenoa attended the Overton High School of Performing Arts, summer music camps such as Aspen, Interlochen, and Sewanee, the Governor’s School of Performing Arts, and the Colour of Music Festival.  

She was awarded both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory as well as Doctoral studies from the University of Iowa. Her principal teachers were Yuko Honda, Pak-Chung Cheng, Katherine Wolfe, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Dorothy Delay, and Dr. Won-Bin Yim.

Chenoa is a highly sought-after educator, guest lecturer, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion facilitator (Diversity from the Inside Out). Her online courses include Introduction to Black Classical Composers and Musicians:  The Journey Onward and appeal to a worldwide audience. Her article “Black Representation in Classical Music Matters” was featured in the American Suzuki Journal.

Currently Chenoa resides in Springfield, IL where she is a member of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, and acting concertmaster of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Married to Victor of Glasgow, Scotland, she is the mother of two and bonus mother of four. Chenoa has been interviewed by various podcast hosts, CNN, NPR Illinois, and the Huffington Post. Her podcast, “Black, White & in Color,” can be heard on all platforms.