Current doctoral researchers

Robert Allan

Composition as documentary practice

This project sets out to bring the techniques of documentary film and theatre to music composition. Robert is supervised by Dr Richard Baker, Dr Laura Bowler and Prof Andy Lavender.

Chris Allard

An investigation into the techniques and devices of contemporary jazz guitar

This project investigates  the techniques and devices of contemporary jazz guitar stylists Kurt Rosenwinkel, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Julian Lage and Jesse Van Ruller. Chris is supervised by Dr Paul Newland and Malcolm Miles.

Chris is a member of staff teaching in the Jazz department.

Andy Asante

The new sound of Jazz

This project explores the influence of African rhythm on 21st Century American jazz. Andy is supervised by Dr Richard Baker and Robert Mitchell. 

Amy Crankshaw

Earth music: exploring ways to integrate experiences of physical natural environments and their materialities with composition practices. 

Amy's research explores ways to musicalise physical experiences of naturally occurring materialities, phenomena, and environments through the practice of music composition. Amy is supervised by Prof Julian Philips, Dr Hollie Harding and Nell Catchpole.

Fátima Fonte

Visible music: composition approaches

Fátima is exploring differing compositional strategies for dealing with music that is to to be staged. Fátima is supervised by Prof Julian Philips, Dr Hollie Harding and Dr Paul Newland.

Thomas Fournil

Cross-fertilising medievalist aesthetics and spectral techniques in compositional practice

This project explores pacing, orchestration, and rhythmical fluidity of 14th century spectral music. Thomas is supervised by Prof Julian Anderson and Prof Nye Parry.

Ricardo Gosalbo

Bécquer, the Rimas (1871) and the emergence of a Spanish Lied

This project investigates the influence German romanticism, philosophy, ideas and aesthetics on Spanish writers and composers. Ricardo is supervised by Prof Sir Barry Ife and Graham Johnson.

Ricardo teaches as a Spanish language coach in the Vocal Studies department.

Sandeep Gurrapadi

Navigating the Third Space in Facilitation and Practice

Sandeep is researching community music, transnational relations and devising process-oriented workshops in India and the UK. He is supervised by Dr Biranda Ford, Dr Preetha Narayanan and Dr Jo Gibson.

Pauliina Haustein

Love at first sound: engaging with Western classical concert audiences through improvisation

Pauliina's project seeks to reintroduce improvisation to Western classical performance practice. Pauliina is supervised by Prof John Sloboda, Dr David Dolan and Adrian Brendel.

Susannah Henry

Autoscenography: Adventures at the intersection of the scenographer's story with her practice

This project explores the possibilities of autoscenography through practice. Susannah is supervised by Dr Richard Baker, Dr Alex Mermikides and Dinah Stabb.

Susannah holds the post of Lecturer in Design and Contextual Studies in Production Arts.

Jo Hensel

Rational Emotive Behaviour Coaching as an intervention for psychological wellbeing and performance anxiety?

Jo is researching REBC as a means to equip conservatoire music students with the psychological skills to enable them to respond positively to the challenges they face. Jo is supervised by Dr Karen Wise and Jane Cook.

Jo holds the post of Performance Confidence Associate and was formerly Deputy Head of Wind, Brass and Percussion.

Owen Ho

Exploring Romanticism: A Portfolio of Original Music Compositions

Composing with the aesthetic traits of romanticism and their stylistic implications. Owen is supervised by Prof Julian Philips, Prof Julian Anderson and Dr Steve Potter.

Matt Kaner

Composing Narratives: Reimagining Musical Storytelling in New Vocal and Instrumental Works

Matt is exploring narrative and story-telling through both text and music. Matt is supervised by Prof Julian Philips and Dr Richard Baker.

Matt teaches in Composition and Academic Studies.

Matthew King

Sonata, what do you mean to me?

What does it mean to write piano sonatas in the 21st century? How does a composer today find a personal response to a canonical artefact? Matthew is supervised by Prof Julian Anderson, Dr Laurence Crane, and Rolf Hind.

Matthew is a member of teaching staff in the Composition department.

Amy Klohr

The use of Vaccai's 'metodo pratico' as a dialogic tool in vocal pedagogy: towards a new edition

This project examines how a tradition and an aesthetic such as that of bel canto is passed on in studio pedagogy. Amy is supervised by Dr Karen Wise.

Amy teaches at Guildhall's Saffron Centre for Young Musicians.

Pedro Laranjeira Finisterra

(Un)Equal Temperaments: Finding practical solutions for the performance of non-12 Equal Temperaments by western concert performers

Strategies for rounding, performance and notation of Equal Temperaments. Pedro is supervised by Prof Julian Anderson and Malcolm Singer.

Mhairi Lawson

Domenico Corri’s ‘Singer’s Preceptor’ (1810): a critical study of its content, its potential use as a pedagogical tool in Music Conservatoires and its socio-political context in Scottish cultural life

This project interrogates Corri’s writings as a window through which to peer at the origins of the ‘’Bel Canto’’ school of singing. Mhairi is supervised by Prof Cormac Newark.

Mhairi teaches in the Historical Performance and Vocal Studies departments.

Oliver Leith

An operatic everyday

This composition project focusses on the ‘everyday’, the slippage between diegetic and non-diegetic musics, and transmedial adaption. Oliver is supervised by Prof Julian Philips and Dr Richard Baker.

Oliver is the current holder of the ROH Composer in Residence studentship.

Ke Ma

The disappearing boundary: A study on Chinese influences in Western piano compositions

Ke is researching the adoption of Chinese elements by Western composers in their compositions. Ke is supervised by Prof Ronan O'Hora and Rolf Hind.

William Marsey

Composing in the uncanny valley

William is researching how concepts and thories of the uncanny may be of use to composers in their practice. William is supervised by Dr Richard Baker and Dr Laurence Crane.

Jon Mayse

If You Build It, They Will Come: New Approaches To Concert Production For The 21st Century

This project seeks to addresse issues in classical engagement, including scale, content, and presentation through a series of multi-modal concerts. Jon is supervised by Dr Richard Baker and Dr Toby Young.

Sarah McCabe

The Viola Sings: How Open Mics Can Inform the Development of ‘Arts Without Boundaries’

Sarah is investigating collaborative performance platforms that reframe borders between artists and audiences. Sarah is supervised by Dr Paul Newland and Sean Gregory.

Sarah is the current holder of the Barbican-Guildhall Studentship.

Anna-Helena McLean

How might we ‘feminize’ actor training in the post-Grotowskian tradition

Anna-Helena's project navigates identity, authority, gender and interpretation in post-Grotowskian performer training. Anna-Helena is supervised by Prof Andy Lavender.

Since starting the doctorate Anna-Helena has taken up a vocal coaching position on the Acting Studies Programme.

Liv McLennan

Bridging the bonds: can the care home become an active part of the local community through intergenerational music-making?

Liv is exploring community music as a musical-social-spatial practice in the context of care homes. Liv is supervised by Prof John Sloboda and Dr Jo Gibson.

Sean Noonan

Stealing and Stretching: The manipulation of time perception in contemporary performance practice as a composition technique

Sean is exploring how polyrhythmic, polymetric and polytemporal forms contribute to the development of the musical narrative. Sean is supervised by Dr Richard Baker and Dr Steve Potter.

Tatjana Ostrovska

Musical Performance in the Age of Live Music Recordings

Tatjana is investigating musicians’ perceptions of live-streaming in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tatjana is supervised by Prof Cormac Newark, Dr Sarah Fuchs and Jacqueline Ross.

Katie Paterson

Unlocking experiences of hormonal contraception through performance practice

Katie is researching how performance practice can unearth and disseminate the ‘healthy patient’ experiences of women taking hormonal contraception/HRT. Katie is supervised by Dr Karen Wise, Dr Alex Mermikides and Dinah Stabb.

Katie is the holder of the Guildhall Arts and Health Studentship and has recently started teaching in the Production Arts department.

Miguel Picciochi

Sound, Listening and Environment: The role of the listener and the impact of the environment and physical space

This project explores the relationship between the listener and the space where s/he encounters the piece. Miguel is supervised by Prof Julian Philips, Dr Paul Newland, Dr Laurence Crane and Prof Nye Parry.

Ed Rice

Locating Brazilian music within Contemporary Jazz Performance Practice

This project examines the convergence of jazz and Brazilian music and contemporary approaches to performing, arranging and improvising. Ed is supervised by Prof Julian Anderson, and Adam Osmianski.

Matt Rogers

Composing Opera Under the Influence: of metafiction

Matt is exploring structural implications of narrative and metafiction in opera. Matt is supervised by Prof Julian Philips, and Dr Richard Baker.

Matt is the previous holder of the ROH Composer in Residence position.

Seth Scott-Deuchar

Towards a Discursive Voice: Composing Electronic Music With Text

This project is concerned with devising new compositional methods for electroacoustic music that critically engage with the aesthetics of immersion. Seth is supervised by Prof Nye Parry and Dr Steve Potter. 
 

Mayra Stergiou

The Poetic Body in Visual Theatre: Co devising the lived experience of trauma

In partnership with CNWL NHS Trust Grenfell Tower Service, Mayra is investigating the impact of co-devising with people who have experienced PTSD. Mayra is supervised by Prof John Sloboda, Dr Emily Orley, and Polly Teale.
 

Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh 

Iranian Opera, Phoenix Rising: The role of the collaborative and international Librettist

This project explores opera making and writing in Iran through the lens of the role of the librettist. Nazli is supervised by Prof Cormac Newark and Stephen Plaice.
 

Andy Taylor

Those who can, teach! A critical insight into current vocational teaching practices.

This project explores vocational pedagogy in higher education and how educational providers might respond to to changing student need. Andy is supervised by Dr Biranda Ford.

Andy is Head of Theatre Technology and Programme Leader on the BA Digital Design & Production. 

Jasper van der Klis

Busoni’s ‘Beiträge zu einer Hochschule des Clavierspiels’ and the Performance of Bach on the Modern Piano

Jasper is exploring the challenges of playing Baroque music on a modern piano. Jasper is supervised by Prof Sir Barry Ife, Dr Christopher Suckling and Peter Bithell.

Christina Vasileiou

Teachers performing care: creating a framework of performance theory and practice for analysing caregiving in teaching practice and supporting the teacher-carer

Christina is exploring performative modes of understanding caregiving in teaching and the practical possibilities for artistic explorations of care in schools. Christina is supervised by Dr Biranda Ford and Dr Alex Mermikides.
 

Jonathan Vaughan

Music Education Training, Social Justice and the ‘Class Ceiling’

This project examines how training in music conservatoires can most effectively support transformational change in young, underprivileged, lives. Jonathan is supervised by Prof John Sloboda.

Jonathan is Principal of Guildhall School.

Monica Yu

Integrative actor training: application and adaptation for intercultural actors

Monica is seeking to develop an intercultural method of actor training incorporating Chinese Actor Training Systems. Monica is supervised by Prof Andy Lavender and Daniel McGrath.

Monica is an Education Consultant in the Drama department.

Qianyu Zhang

Performing Nuevo Tango on the free-bass accordion: functionality, technique, timbre

This research explores the potential of the free-bass accordion in nuevo tango performance and composition. Qianyu is supervised by Prof Sir Barry Ife, and Dr Steve Potter. 

Jessica Zhu

Contextualising Artistic Practice: Problem Solving in the Piano Music of Maurice Ohana

Jessica is researching modern approaches to the playing of Ohana's work. Jessica is supervised by Prof Sir Barry Ife and Dr Biranda Ford.