Daniel Elphick

Dr Daniel Elphick is a Lecturer in Musicology at Royal Holloway, University of London, specializing in Russian and East-Central European music since the 19th century, and broader intersections of music and politics. He holds a PhD from the University of Manchester (2016), an MRes in Music Performance from Keele University (2012), and a BA (Hons) in Music from Keele University (2011).

His research examines ideological influences on musical creation, particularly under state-controlled systems like the Soviet Union. Key works include his monograph Music Behind the Iron Curtain (Cambridge, 2019) and edited collections exploring Polish musical identities. Recent talks include discussions on Socialist Realism, Shostakovich's exchanges with Britten, and music's role in post-1989 Eastern Baltic societies.

Elphick serves as a Fellow of Goldsmiths' Centre for Russian Music, Editorial Board member for DSCH: The Shostakovich Journal, and Communications Officer for the Royal Musical Association. He actively contributes to academic discourse through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications, focusing on topics like Soviet-era musical policy and 20th-century compositional politics.