Julia Partington is a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Newcastle. She is module leader for MUS3111 Teaching Music in Schools, MUS2916, Teaching Music in Community Contexts and programme director for the new MA in Music Education beginning September 2025. Julia supervises PhD students in music education and community music and also students on the MMus and MLitt programmes.

She is an External Examiner for Reading University’s BA in Primary Education and MA in Music Education. In addition, she is Vice Chair of the committee for MusicHE, a national organisation supporting Music departments in UK Higher Education providers. In 2022, Julia took on the role of Chair of Trustees of MERYC, England (Music Educators and Researchers of Young Children) https://www.merycengland.co.uk/ and is proud to be involved with planning MERYC England’s regular online research and practice seminars and in-person conferences.

Prior to working at Newcastle University, Julia was Programme Leader for Early Years and Family Learning at Sage Gateshead where she worked with young children and their families across the North East of England.

Research interests include the potential benefits of music education in early childhood as a means to address disadvantage and promote the wellbeing of children and families in challenging circumstances. Her doctoral thesis centred on collaborative approaches for teachers and visiting musicians working in primary music classrooms that aim to empower primary class teachers in terms of their own musical confidence and skills.