Naomi Kayayan

Naomi Kayayan is a PhD candidate at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), exploring partnership and engaged learning practices in conservatoire piano teaching using an interpretative phenomenological approach. She holds multiple roles in music education, including piano tutor at the RNCM’s Junior Department, The City of Edinburgh Music School, and other institutions. A Fellow of AdvanceHE, she teaches on the MA in Practical Music Teaching and mentors on the PGCert in Instrumental Teaching at the University of Chichester. Her work integrates person-centred psychology and relational pedagogy, informed by postgraduate studies in music education at the University of Reading and performance pedagogy at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Naomi’s research focuses on Student-Staff Partnerships in music conservatoires, addressing trust, reciprocity, and power dynamics. She has presented globally, including conferences at Elon University (USA), the University of Melbourne, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire. A 2025 Springer publication will feature her chapter on trust in partnership teaching. Her professional development spans international examiner roles with ABRSM, mentorship for Future Talent, and leadership in music schools in China and the UK.

Her awards include five 2023 grants enabling global research dissemination. Naomi’s broader interests include pedagogical care for gifted musicians and the impact of historical pedagogies on modern education. She combines academic rigor with practical mentorship, influencing teacher training and student engagement across diverse educational contexts.