Diedre Murray is an American cellist and composer known for her work in jazz and musical theater. A native of New York, she received a B.S. degree in ethnomusicology from Hunter College and studied at the Manhattan School of Music. Murray’s early composing projects included Five Minute Tango, The Conversation, and Flashes, and she collaborated with notable artists such as Leroy Jenkins and Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson. She has appeared on over 50 recordings as a cellist, composer, arranger, and producer, with notable works including Firestorm (1992) and Stringology (1994). Murray also curated music programs for the Jamaica Arts Center, Jazz at St. Mary’s, P.S. 122, and the 53rd Street Y. Her significant achievements include being a Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama in 1999, and winning two Obie Awards for The Running Man (1999) and Eli’s Comin’ (2002).
