Social media platforms provide opportunities for individuals to share their voices, and within hours, someone’s life can change entirely. This is what happened a few weeks ago to Oakland University sophomore Ethan McMurray, who recently went viral after posting an Instagram Reel about a mushroom and the magic of music.
The now social media-famous music major spends a lot of his time composing orchestral scores. A seed of inspiration was planted when a fellow music student and friend, Mila Pitman, encouraged McMurray to “orchestrate this NOW” — referring to a popular video of a mushroom that seemingly sings a pentatonic melody as it is being grilled.
The reel begins with the mushroom and melodically transitions into a fully-fleshed out symphony orchestra interpretation of the mushroom’s song — one that sounds like the score of a Disney movie.
The caption reads “a little mushroom symphony!!…this was my first time writing in pentatonic and using chinese instruments!” Within a few days, the video received more than 8 million views, hundreds of thousands of likes, comments and shares. Viewers went on to make comments like “I’m telling my future children that he’s Beethoven” and “@disney owes you a phone call,” followed by many GIFs from the Disney film “Mulan.”
When asked about the feedback on the video, McMurray shared, “It was so unexpected! I really just posted the video for fun, so to see all the positive feedback on it was really cool! I also loved hearing everyone’s thoughts about it in the comments. I especially got a kick out of all the comments personifying the mushroom. Overall, I think it was just refreshing to see people so excited about music!” McMurray said.
His mother, Dena McMurray, shared a similar view. “I think it’s incredible that his piece is being shared with so many people. My hope is that it makes lots of people smile. He most definitely brings so much joy to our family through his music.”
Apart from the social media success, the most shocking part of the experience for him was when he was reached out to by NBC and The Today Show’s Joseph Lamour — a reporter who has covered and interviewed the likes of Simone Biles, John Cena, Travis Kelce and many others.
“It didn’t feel real at first. I had only posted the reel a few days prior and I didn’t even know something like that could happen. When I answered his call later that night, he introduced himself by saying ‘Hi! This is Joe with NBC,’ and that was when I really comprehended what was happening. He was such an amazing interviewer and he made my first professional interview really fun!” McMurray remarked.
What may have seemed like a fast path to stardom actually took many years of dedication. The student from Clarkston, Michigan has been studying violin since age four and began writing music at 14. He is an active member of Oakland University’s Chamber Orchestra. He also studies voice and performs with both the Oakland Chorale and Oakland’s Symphony Chorus.
Additionally, he has been in numerous theatrical productions. Most recently, he starred as Tony in “West Side Story” and as the Prince in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” All of these experiences have helped to shape him stylistically into the composer he is today.
Currently he studies composition under the expertise of his mentor, Terry Herald, who says, “Ethan began private composition lessons with me last year and has made prodigious strides. Our sessions are a pure delight to me as a teacher, since he brings a multitude of fresh ideas to each meeting, sometimes showing me three or four major compositions he has begun that week! His technical skills as an orchestrator have exploded and I look forward to each meeting to hear where his musical imagination has taken him.”
For McMurray, what began as simple violin solos and duets quickly blossomed into full-length symphonic orchestral compositions. His first work, “Dream Theme and Variations,” premiered with the Oakland Youth Symphony’s Philharmonia Orchestra (Wendy Stuart, conductor), but not too long afterwards, his works “Acatalepsy” and “Monomyth” premiered with the Oakland Chamber Orchestra (Zeljko Milicevic, conductor).
His creative process is influenced by the simplest of things as he will find inspiration anywhere: the rhythm someone’s feet produce while climbing stairs, the commotion of city traffic or, more recently, a caroling mushroom.
In addition to the everyday noises that affect his writing, color also has an influence on his works. Synesthesia, a neurological occurrence present in 2% of the population, has over time not only affected the way he hears music, but the way he writes it as well. The experience itself involves the visualization and association of different colors with various notes, keys, and/or timbres.
“I always have the goal of creating a specific color with my works,” McMurray notes. An additional sphere of inspiration can be traced back to his favorite films like “Harry Potter,” “Cinderella (2015),” “Star Wars” and composers like John Williams, Patrick Doyle and James Newton Howard.
When asked about any current projects, McMurray says, “I’m editing a few pieces I wrote for symphony orchestra. I really hope those could make their way onto programs next season! I’m also beginning work on something different for chamber orchestra that I’m very excited to dive into.”
Whether it be a symphony or a 15-second video, McMurray’s work is proving that even in a modern world, classical music still has the power to captivate — especially when it comes from the heart. This viral moment is only an overture to a much larger adventure.
Want to see what Ethan composes next? Follow him on Instagram @ethanmcmurray_.
