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Staff Profile

Dr Julia Partington

Senior Lecturer

Background

Julia Partington is currently Degree Programme Director for Postgraduate Taught Masters courses in Music at Newcastle University. She is module leader for MUS8021: Introduction to Music Education: International Perspectives, Theories and Practices and MUS2916: Music Teaching and Learning and contributes to other modules across undergraduate and postgraduate modules. Julia also supervises PhD students in music education and community music and also students on the Postgraduate Research MMus and MLitt programmes who are working on music education related projects. 


In her work across the School of Arts & Cultures, Julia has previously held the role of Placements Manager for Museums, Galleries and Heritage programmes, liaising with host venues/organisations and supporting postgraduate students undertaking regional, national and international work placements.


Julia is an External Examiner for Reading University's BA in Primary Education and MA in Music Education. In addition, she was former Vice Chair of the committee for MusicHE, a national organisation supporting Music departments in UK Higher Education providers, now part of Music Mark. She has published numerous articles and resources for Sing Up's international magazine and online song bank and has worked in close collaboration with the Centre for Research in Early Childhood, based in Birmingham. In 2022 Julia took on the role of Chair of Trustees of MERYC, England (Music Educators and Researchers of Young Children) https://www.merycengland.co.uk/ and is proud to be involved with planning MERYC England's regular online research and practice seminars and in person conferences. Other current projects include working with Opera North as an animateur, narrator and vocalist in their 'Little Listeners' family concert series.


Prior to working at Newcastle University, Julia was Programme Leader for Early Years and Family Learning at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music, where she worked with young children and their families across the North East of England. Highlights of this role include developing a family concert programme strand and working in Sao Paulo, Brazil with music education and social pedagogy organisation Guri Santa Marcelina as part of a 3 year British Council funded exchange programme for music educators. 


Julia also has extensive performance experience as a mezzo soprano, having performed and recorded with Royal Northern Sinfonia and artists such as Emma Kirkby, Mhairi Lawson, Lynne Dawson and others as part of events such as the Newcastle Early Music Festival. She has also worked as a soloist for Capella Novocastriensis and the Newcastle Bach Choir, and was lead vocalist in the early music ensemble, Lyra until 2008. Commercial recordings include The Little Nut Tree, a collection of magical settings of traditional nursery rhymes by composer Gerard McBurney, performed by Julia with Royal Northern Sinfonia, and conducted by Tim Redmond. 


Research interests include the potential benefits of music education in early childhood as a means to address disadvantage and promote the wellbeing of children and families in challenging circumstances. Her doctoral thesis centred on collaborative approaches for teachers and visiting musicians working in primary music classrooms that aim to empower primary class teachers in terms of their own musical confidence and skills.

Teaching

MUS3111: Teaching Music in Schools 

MUS2196: Teaching Music in Community Contexts

MUS3196: Student Placement in Education and Community.

MUS1018: Academic Practice for Music Studies 

MCH8516 and MCH8600 - contributor to placement related teaching




Publications