About Flourish

About the project

Flourish aims to support musicians through research by making research knowledge and findings from performance science more accessible.

This project is generously funded by the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership.

Aims of the project:

  • Provide high-quality, evidence-based information and resources for musicians
  • Build a network of postgraduate and early-career researchers working within the field of music performance science
  • Encourage and facilitate the communication of research findings to musicians

Meet the team

Akiho Suzuki - Flourish project

Akiho Suzuki

Co-founder

I am a pianist from Sydney, currently completing my PhD in music psychology at the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester Metropolitan University. My AHRC-funded PhD project is on effective practice, and I am designing and testing an online course that aims to equip conservatoire piano students with skills and strategies for practice and performance preparation.

I started piano lessons when I was 7 years old and graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2018. I became interested in music psychology research towards the end of my undergraduate studies and completed an MA in Psychology of Music at the University of Sheffield prior to my PhD.

claire

Claire Ruckert-Fagan

Co-founder

I am an interdisciplinary doctoral researcher based at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and the University of St Andrews. I attended RCS for my Bachelor of Music in Vocal Studies, during which time I found myself developing more of an interest in the psychology behind music and performance. This led me to completing an MSc in Performance Science from the Royal College of Music, as well as an MSc in Psychology (Conversion) from the University of St Andrews. The focus of my PhD is mental health in music conservatoires, specifically in the management of the physiological symptoms of performance anxiety. My research interests include performing arts health and wellbeing, psychophysiology, arts in early childhood, and widening access to performance science literature.

Profile 2

Michelle Phillips

Senior advisor

I am a Senior Lecturer in Music Psychology and Head of Enterprise (Academic) at the Royal Northern College of Music, UK. My research interests include entrepreneurship, music and time, perception of contemporary music, audience response to live and recorded music, and music and Parkinson’s. I was Principal Investigator of the StART Entrepreneurship Project, funded by the Office for Students and Research England, which explored how specialist creative arts institutions in higher education should train the freelance musicians and artists of the future. I am also co-investigator with Manchester Camerata for a study examining physiological, behavioural and neurological response to live and recorded music. I am also a saxophonist and chartered accountant.