David Smith

David J. Smith is a Professor and Head of Music at Northumbria University's Department of Humanities. His research focuses on early English instrumental music, particularly keyboard and consort music from the late 16th to early 17th centuries, with an emphasis on scholarly editing and performance practice. He leads projects such as the AHRC-funded 'Digital Directions for Collected Editions' and supervises PhD students on topics like Tudor organs and historical keyboard music.

• Education: DPhil, MA, BA (Hons) in Music from the University of Oxford
• Roles: Head of Music at Northumbria, former Head of Music at Aberdeen, and organ scholar at Oxford colleges.
• Performance: Harpsichordist and recorder player, co-founder of AB24 trio, and performer of his own edited works.

Research interests include the cultural context of keyboard music, religious-political influences on composers like Peter Philips and Richard Dering, and the role of scribal networks in musical transmission. His edited volumes (e.g., Aspects of Early English Keyboard Music) and recordings (e.g., Exiled) reflect his dual focus on scholarship and performance.

Current PhD supervision includes projects on Harrison & Harrison organs, Tudor organ collaborations with Newcastle Cathedral, and reconstruction of Eton Choirbook fragments. He chairs the Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities and serves on boards like the Incorporated Society of Musicians.