Academic Studies
Academic Studies underpin the Bachelor of Music with Honours at the RNCM.
Throughout the programme, students attend classes in musicianship, historical and contextual studies, performance and repertoire, and language of music, all of which are designed to support the components of Principal Study tuition.
As the course progresses, students are offered a series of electives by leading researchers in music. These include exploring issues in historical and contemporary performance practice, composition, notation, orchestration, music and other arts (painting, architecture, cinema), music for the stage and, among others, arranging. Combined, the modules provide you with the highest quality teaching underpinned by cutting-edge research, while complementing your practical work and future career aspirations.
Please note that GRNCM students do not take Academic Studies modules at the RNCM as requirements are fulfilled through the MusB programme at The University of Manchester.
Postgraduate Study: The Academic Studies team teach and supervise academic aspects of postgraduate programmes. There are several ways you can pursue your studies at postgraduate level – for further information please visit the Graduate School.
Academic Studies Staff
Programme Staff List
Director of Programmes
Professor Jennie Henley PhD, BA (Hons), MMus, PGCE, PGCFHE, DipABRSM, CTABRSM
Head of Undergraduate Programmes
Professor Nicholas Reyland PhD, MMus, BMus (Hons), FHEA
Head of Graduate School
Professor David Horne BMus, PhD
Deputy Head of Graduate School
Dr Simon Clark BMus, MMus, MPhil, PhD
Deputy Head of Undergraduate Programmes
Dr Annika Forkert Magistra Artium, PhD, FHEA
Deputy Head of Undergraduate Programmes and GRNCM Course Lead
Dr Simon Parkin ARCM, GRNCM, MusB, PhD
Head of Jazz and Improvisation
Steve Berry FHEA
Head of Music, Health and Wellbeing
Professor John Habron BA, MA, PhD, MA, FHEA
Head of Enterprise (Academic)
Professor Michelle Phillips BA (Hons), MA, PhD, SFHEA
Programme Lead Music Education (PGCE)
Dr Robert Gardiner EdD, MA, PGCE, BMus(Hons), LRSM
Fellows in Creative and Professional Practice
Hannah McCabe BMus (Hons), MMus
Dr Gavin Wayte PhD, MusM, BMus(Hons), FRSA
Lecturer in Health and Wellbeing
Dr Sara Ascenso BMus, LPsy, MSc, PhD, FHEA
Lecturers in Music
Dr Amanda Babington BMus (Hons), MA (Performance), MA (Musicology), PhD, FHEA
Sarah Crooks PGCert, MMus
Gethin Griffith BMus (Hons), PGDipRNCM, PGCertPAE, FHEA
Dr Helen Seddon-Gray MusB (Hons), GRNCM, MusM (Hons), PhD
Teaching Fellows in Historical Performance
Harvey Davies GRNCM
Roger Hamilton MA, MA, ARCM
Teacher in Dalcroze Eurhythmics
Dr Karin Greenhead PhD, Dip. Sup. Institut Jaques-Dalcroze, GRSM, ARCM
Visiting Tutors
Sarah Atter BMus(Hons) GRNCM
Dr Katie Chatburn BMus, MMus, PGCE, LRAM, ARAM
Dr Dario van Gammeren SFHEA
Natalie Grady BA (Hons)
Dr Rachel Johnson PhD, MMus, MusB (Hons)
Professor John Miller PhD, MA (Cantab), FGS, FRNCM
William Minty
Dr Lucy Pankhurst PhD, MMus, BMus (Hons)
Michael Purton BMus, MMus
Richard Strivens
Dr David Vickers BA (Hons), MMus, PhD
Andrea Vogler BMus (Hons) RNCM, DipRNCM (Perf)
Dr Nina Whiteman BA (Hons), MusM, PhD
Bethan Wiliam Cert. Ed Practitioner NLP
Dr Kris Worsley PhD
Head of English Language Learning
Professor Jean Ammar FHEA, BA (Hons), Cert Ed, Dip Ed (TESOL), MEd. (TESOL), MA (History), PhD, Dip Management, SFHEA
English Language Support Tutor
Sarah Murphy
Contact Us
If you have any enquiries regarding Academic Studies at the RNCM, please email [email protected].
