Murray Perahia (b. April 19, 1947) is a distinguished American concert pianist. He is also a respected conductor. His recordings are characterized by a consistent quality of sound, technique and interpretation and a careful attention to dynamic and stylistic details. Perahia was born in New York City of Ladino Jewish origin, and began playing the piano at four but he didn't start practising seriously until age fifteen. At seventeen, he attended Mannes College, where he studied keyboard, conducting, and composition with his teacher and mentor Mieczysław Horszowski. During the summer, he also attended Marlboro, where he studied with Rudolf Serkin, and Pablo Casals, amongst others.

In 1972, he won the fourth Leeds Piano Competition, helping to cement its reputation for advancing the careers of young pianistic talent. Dr. Fanny Waterman recalls anecdotally (in Wendy Thompson's book Piano Competition: The Story of the Leeds) that Horszowski had phoned her prior to the competition, announcing that he would enter the winner. Other American contestants had apparently withdrawn their applications upon hearing that Perahia would be competing.

In 1973 he worked with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears at the Aldeburgh Festival. He became co-artistic director in 1981, stepping down in 1989.