New research appointments at the RCM
Thursday 12 August 2021
Dr Rosie Perkins HonRCM has been appointed to a Personal Chair in Music, Health and Social Science. In addition, Dr Neta Spiro has been appointed Reader in Performance Science and Dr Christina Guillaumier Reader in Music & Cultural Practice.
Professor Perkins’ research focuses on music and mental health and performers’ career development. She is also programme leader for the RCM’s ground-breaking MSc in Performance Science. Her work has been supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Arts Council England, British Academy, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and has featured in several international journals and press.
Of her appointment, Professor Perkins said: ‘I am honoured that my work at the intersection of music, health, and social science has been recognised with this Personal Chair and look forward to continuing to work with the RCM’s inspirational staff and students to evidence the important roles of music in societal wellbeing.'
Also recognised for their research achievements are Head of Undergraduate Programmes Dr Christina Guillaumier and Dr Neta Spiro in the Centre for Performance Science.
Dr Guillaumier’s research fields are Russian music history, culture and practice as well as early twentieth-century music. She has published on opera, the piano, genetic criticism as well as working in music editing. Her work in education has led her to explore aspects of music education research and digital pedagogy. Her major influential works to date are her monograph ‘The Operas of Sergei Prokofiev’ (2020) and ‘Rethinking Prokofiev’ (2020) a collection of ground-breaking essays co-edited with Rita McAllister. At the RCM she teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in addition to supervising several doctoral candidates.
Dr Spiro’s background is in music (BMus, Oxford University), cognitive science (MSc, Edinburgh University), and music psychology (PhD, Amsterdam University). Her research is underpinned by two questions: What is the potential role of music in peoples’ health and well-being and what is communicated when we make music together. Neta previously held a teaching post in the Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge. Her teaching includes music, health, and wellbeing topics as well as areas of music psychology.
Professor Colin Lawson, Director of the RCM commented that: ‘Research at the RCM is focused on fostering innovative and fruitful interactions between all of the institution’s knowledge communities and principal spheres of activity. This encompasses not only performance, composition and professional training, but also health science research and the collection, curation and interpretation of the material heritage of music. Through our research, we are able to share cutting edge ideas with the wider world and in this context, I am delighted to announce these three significant appointments within the RCM’s active research community.'