About
Dr. Christina Guillaumier is an international scholar and research-practitioner based at the Royal College of Music in London, where she serves as Reader and Research Fellow in Music & Cultural Practice. A music historian and pianist with an early foundation in the dramatic arts, she is a sought-after writer, teacher, and broadcaster in the fields of music, the arts, and education. Dr. Guillaumier publishes in multiple languages and is known for her ability to connect with diverse audiences.
Her achievements include Fellowships with the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). As an editor for Bärenreiter, she specializes in critical editions of piano music, and her new critical biography of Prokofiev has just been released with Reaktion Press. Dr. Guillaumier is a peer reviewer for several academic journals and presses. She serves as Director of Scholarship and Public Engagement with the International Centre for Contemporary Music in London. She is co-convenor of the Slavic and East European Music Study Group.
Advocacy and Leadership
Dr. Guillaumier is an influential voice in higher education music studies, with a particular focus on conservatoire education. A passionate advocate for music education, she holds international roles to advance teaching and training globally. Her commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is reflected across her work, research and teaching. She serves as a Trustee of West Sussex Music, promoting access to music education for all.
Professional Background
Originally trained as a pianist, Dr. Guillaumier’s early career was focussed on collaborative performances, chamber music, and teaching. She earned her undergraduate degree with outstanding honors, followed by an MMus in Advanced Musical Studies. She furthered her studies with an MSc in Russian and East European Studies at the University of Oxford, where her research on Sergei Prokofiev earned her a distinction. Her doctoral research at the University of St Andrews delved into Prokofiev’s early music, offering a critical genealogy of his musical ideas and tracing their origins in his childhood works.
Higher Education Leadership and Scholarship
With nearly two decades of experience in the UK and EU conservatoire sectors, Dr. Guillaumier is a leading expert in music education, curriculum reform, and digital learning. Her strengths include curriculum innovation, quality assurance, academic management, and research development. From 2015 to 2023, she served as Head of Undergraduate Programmes at the Royal College of Music, and prior to that she was Head of Contextual Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She continues to contribute to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral program boards in the UK, Europe, Singapore, and the Middle East. Dr. Guillaumier’s expertise extends to governance, institutional strategy, and professional development programs, delivered both nationally and internationally.
Research and Supervision
A recipient of numerous research awards, including those from the AHRC, the European Union, Erasmus, and the American Musicological Society, Dr. Guillaumier combines practice-based teaching with research-driven projects. She has held research appointments at Princeton University and the Paul Sacher Foundation in Basel. Her scholarly work spans two interconnected areas: (1) cultural practice and music history and (2) conservatoire training, pedagogy (including digital) and artistic research.
Dr. Guillaumier supervises a wide range of dissertations in these fields, including studies in Slavic and East European music and opera, piano music and pedagogy, the classical music industry and disability studies. She welcomes inquiries from prospective students in these areas.