Murray Hipkin studied at York University, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio before joining the music staff of English National Opera (1983-88). He then worked for Opéra de Lyon, La Monnaie, Opera Factory and Scottish Opera, and Opera Brava (as musical director).

Since his return to ENO in 1995 Murray has conducted performances of The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado (including the 20th anniversary performances starring Lesley Garrett), The Gondoliers and Kismet (starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Faith Prince). He also appeared in Mahagonny (Weill), the world premiere of The Silver Tassie (Turnage), La bohème (Leoncavallo) and The Rake's Progress (Stravinsky), and worked extensively as coach, repetiteur and assistant conductor on over 50 productions including Wagner's Ring Cycle (directed by Phyllida Lloyd and translated by Jeremy Sams) and Anthony Minghella's production of Madame Butterfly. During his final season he assisted on The Merry Widow, The Turn of the Screw and Carmen.

Outside ENO, Murray coached and appeared with Björk in excerpts from Schoenberg's Pierrot Iunaire at the 1996 Verbier Festival and worked on her recording of John Tavener's Prayer of the Heart. He has been associated with John Adams's controversial opera The Death of Klinghoffer since its premiere in Brussels and in 2002 he assisted the composer and conducted on location for the award-winning Channel 4 film of the opera. He has assisted at Garsington Opera (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) and the Tower of London Music Festival (Donizetti's Anna Bolena). From 1990 to 2003 he conducted the Cookham-on-Thames based Cantorum Choir and since 2003 has been musical director of the North London Chorus.

Other opera and music theatre conducting includes Puccini's La bohème (Surrey Opera and Opera Box), the UK premiere of Salieri's Falstaff, Haydn's La vera costanza and Mozart's Apollo and Hyacinth (Bampton Classical Opera) and Sweeney Todd (Millrace Productions at Shawford Mill). His opera translations include La vera costanza and Gluck's Le cinesi.

Murray is currently on sabbatical from ENO and appears in The Sound of Music, which is his West End conducting debut, by permission.