Catherine Foxcroft

Catherine Foxcroft is an Associate Professor in Piano and Music Psychology at the Department of Music and Musicology, Rhodes University. She served as Head of Department from 2016 to 2022 and has maintained a dual career as a performer, educator, and researcher. Her expertise spans solo and chamber music performance, with a focus on cognitive and emotional processes in performance studies.

• BMus (UCT), MMus (HMTMH), Diplom-Konzertsolistin (HMTMH), DMus (UP), UPLM (UNISA)

Research: Catherine’s work centers on music psychology, particularly the cognitive mechanisms of sight-reading and emotional engagement during solo performance. She explores concepts like 'flow' in optimal performance states and has contributed to journals such as SAMUS and Journal of New Music Research.

Recent Publications: Her 2023 article in Journal of New Music Research examines eye movements in sight-reading, while earlier studies analyze gaze patterns and flow states in performances. These works bridge musicology, cognitive science, and pedagogy.

Awards:

• Rhodes University VC’s Senior Teaching Award (2015)

Performance & Education: A laureate of national competitions (SABC, ATKV, UNISA), she has performed globally with orchestras and chamber ensembles like the Chameleon Trio. Her students have excelled in competitions and pursued postgraduate studies at institutions including Guildhall School of Music and Oxford University.

Collaborations: She has partnered with artists like Liesl Stoltz, David Bester, and Bongani Ndodana-Breen, and participated in international symposia such as the Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium and the International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition.