John Rink

Professor John Rink is a leading scholar in music performance studies, 19th-century music (particularly Chopin), and digital musicology. He holds the position of Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Music and is a Fellow at St John's College. His research bridges historical analysis, performance practice, and digital innovation, with notable projects like the Chopin's First Editions Online and the Online Chopin Variorum Edition. He directed the AHRC-funded Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice (2009-2015) and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Complete Chopin – A New Critical Edition.

Education includes studies at Princeton University, King's College London, and a PhD from the University of Cambridge on Chopin's tonal structures and improvisation. He also holds performance qualifications from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Notable awards include the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Bene Merito distinction (2019) for contributions to Poland's international cultural standing.

His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, evidenced by roles in global research networks (e.g., with the Universidade de São Paulo and institutions in China, Singapore, and the UK). Active in performance evaluation, he has served on the jury of the International Chopin Competition since 2015. His teaching focuses on performance studies, music analysis, and digital methodologies.

Research outputs include monographs like Chopin: The Piano Concertos (1997) and edited volumes such as Cambridge Companion to Recorded Music (2009). Current projects explore digital editions, performance creativity, and cross-cultural choral development. He leads Cambridge Digital Humanities and has advisory roles in journals like Music & Letters and Musicologist.