معرفی
Dr. Naomi Norton serves as Lecturer in Music Education at the University of York's School of Arts and Creative Technologies, where she concurrently holds leadership positions as School Wellbeing Lead, Musicians' Health and Wellness Coordinator, and Chair of the Musicians' Health and Wellness Group. Her professional mission centers on eliminating barriers to musical proficiency related to health, socioeconomic status, and wellbeing, driving her multifaceted career in teaching, research, consultancy, and performance.
Dr. Norton's academic foundation includes a BA in Music (2011) and MMus in Applied Psychology of Music (2012, Santander scholarship) from the University of Leeds, followed by AHRC-funded doctoral research at the Royal Northern College of Music (validated by Manchester Metropolitan University, 2016). Her dissertation examined health promotion in instrumental/vocal lessons from UK teachers' perspectives.
- BA in Music (2011), University of Leeds
- MMus in Applied Psychology of Music (2012), University of Leeds
- PhD in Music (2016), Royal Northern College of Music / Manchester Metropolitan University
Her research program critically investigates intersections between music education, health psychology, and behavioral science, with particular emphasis on teacher perspectives in health promotion. She pioneers applications of frameworks like the Behaviour Change Wheel to develop evidence-based wellness strategies for musicians, addressing physical, mental, and occupational health dimensions across educational and professional contexts. This work consistently challenges systemic barriers to musical participation while advancing pedagogical approaches that integrate wellbeing into core music training.
Analysis of her publication record (2014-2021) reveals evolving scholarship from foundational demographic studies of UK music teachers toward practical implementation of health promotion models. Key thematic threads include teacher health status, interdisciplinary collaboration models, and curriculum-integrated wellness education, with increasing focus on ensemble settings and behavioral change methodologies. This trajectory demonstrates growing influence in establishing health promotion as essential infrastructure within music education ecosystems.
Dr. Norton has secured competitive research funding including an Arts and Humanities Research Council grant for doctoral studies and Santander scholarship support for her Master's degree. Her teaching portfolio spans undergraduate BA Music modules (Musicians' Health and Wellness, Creative and Professional Practice) and postgraduate instruction across MA Music Education, MA Community Music, and MA Vocal Studies pathways, where she specifically teaches Instrumental/Vocal Teaching and Group Teaching Leadership.
Professionally, she contributes to the International Society for Music Education as committee member for the Music Health and Wellness Special Interest Group, while leading institutional change through York's Musicians' Health and Wellness Group to coordinate cross-departmental wellbeing initiatives for students and staff.
