Concert guitarist, pedagogue and chordophonic instrument specialist, Professor Purcell earned his degrees in composition, musicology and pedagogy at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, California State University, Northridge, Lisboa Conservatorio de Musica, Lisbon and the Orfeo Catala Lleidata, Barcelona. His major teachers include Andrés Segovia, Emilio Pujol, Macario Santiago Kastner, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Alirio Diaz.
He has produced recordings with Klavier Records and El Maestro Records and has published two books and numerous performance editions with Chanterelle, Warner/Chappell (formerly Belwin-Mills) and editions with Mel Bay Publishing Co. Professor Purcell has written many articles for various organizations and societies. He has served as the first president and later as a board member for Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) and as editor for the American String Teachers Association, Guitar Division, ASTA Journal. He is presently the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Guitar Society and Director of The International Guitar Research Archive, IGRA. Recently, he was elected Vice President to the Board of Directors for the Augustine Foundation in New York City.
His guitar, lute and vihuela performances have taken him throughout the U.S.A., Central America, Caribbean, Japan and Europe. He is a frequent lecturer, national and international adjudicator, and organizer of local, national and international guitar events which includes hosting of the 1995 GFA Guitar Competition and Conference at CSUN.