Dr Sarah Smith

• PhD, Royal Holloway, University of London
• MMus in Performance Studies (Music) with Distinction, Royal Holloway, University of London
• BMus (Hons) First Class, Cardiff University

Sarah’s first degree was a BMus (Hons) at Cardiff University, where she developed an interest in music performance research. She completed a MMus in Music Performance Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, following this with a PhD.

As a pianist, Sarah has performed in many parts of the UK, especially her native South Wales. For many years, she taught piano at the RWCMD Junior Conservatoire, and she remains active as a piano teacher. In addition to her fractional post at RWCMD, Sarah works as a Grade and Diploma Examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, a role that has taken her to Italy, Malaysia and all over the UK.

Sarah is interested in exploring links between music performance and analysis, particularly in relation to piano music and the development of new methodologies to consider the physicality of performance.

Her PhD at Royal Holloway, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, centred on analysing and performing texture in Scriabin’s piano music.

Sarah is on the teaching team for several undergraduate and postgraduate music modules and also supervises a range of research projects and lecture-recitals. She enjoys developing ideas on instrumental teaching within the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and engagement modules at RWCMD.

Sarah is keen to hear from prospective doctoral research students interested in topics relating to performance and analysis or music pedagogy.