Matthew McCullough

Matthew McCullough is a PhD candidate in Musicology and Analysis at Durham University, researching British music and its intersections with death, trauma, and memory. He holds an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and is affiliated with the Centre for Death and Life Studies. His work focuses on 19th- and 20th-century British and Irish music, with a particular emphasis on responses to conflict and mourning.

Education: BA (First Class) and MA (Distinction) in Music from Durham University, supported by scholarships including the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship and Van Mildert College Trust PhD Scholarship. Notable achievements include winning the British Music Society’s 40th Anniversary Essay Competition in 2019 and editing forgotten works by Alan Gray, set for publication in 2024.

Research interests span music and mortality, harmony/counterpoint analysis, and the legacies of composers like Gerald Finzi and Ernest Moeran. He co-edits a 4-volume series on 18th-20th-century mourning practices and organized conferences on Music and Death, leading to a forthcoming Brill volume.

Publications include journal articles on Arthur Bliss and Cecil Gray, book chapters on requiem music, and contributions to edited volumes. Awards include the NABMSA Travel Grant, RMA Oldman Grant, and multiple fellowships.

Teaching: Contributes to undergraduate harmony and counterpoint modules. Performance roles include guest soloist with The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble and conductor of Durham University Chamber Choir.