Dr Michael Davidson

Michael is an ethnomusicologist and music educator based in the east of England, and a SOAS Research Associate. 

From 1985-2015 Michael worked as an instrumental music teacher and development officer for an English county music service, developing musical inclusion projects to broaden engagement and progression of children in challenging circumstances. 

Notable innovations include: 

• Songwriter, a progression pathway for creative music, 
• Musical Memory Box, an intergenerational music and reminiscence model
• Family Music, informal music programmes to support families at risk of exclusion 

From 2015-18 he co-led MusicNet East (MNE), a strategic action research partnership of music education hubs in the east of England. Funded by the National Foundation for Youth Music, MNE explored the challenges, enablers and benefits of embedding musical inclusion within instrumental music teaching. MNE formed the focus of Michael’s doctoral research ‘Citizens of Here’ (SOAS, 2023) which used citizenship as a framework for development of music services. 

From 2018-23, he co-led Changing Tracks, a national musical inclusion network also funded by Youth Music, in partnership with subject association Music Mark. Drawing on Michael’s doctoral thesis, Changing Tracks used action research as a catalyst for development, developing interdisciplinary communities of practice of service leaders, instrumental music teachers, classroom teachers, music managers and community musicians. Michael contributed to a consultation panel of instrumental music teachers for the revised National Plan for Music, to Music Mark’s Talk into Action programme and revised A Common Approach, a curriculum for vocal and instrumental teaching, 

From 2023-25, he was postdoctoral research at SOAS, developing networks of music teachers informed by ethnomusicology, including SOAS alums. He also worked for The Open University as a research associate on project based in Northern Ireland which explored how instrumental music teachers can nurture creativity in their practice. 

From 2025-27, he is leading networks of teacher researchers exploring how drawing ethnomusicology can help create a more World-Centred (Music) Education which empowers young people to respond to existential world challenges. 

Outputs have included: 

• April 2026, convened teacher research panel at the BfE conference, Kings College, London
• April 2025, convened teacher researcher panel at the BfE conference, Cambridge 

Most of Michael’s research has been published in formats accessible to practitioners and stakeholders. For instance; 

• Davidson, M, 2026, Reframing the Purposes of Instrumental Music Teaching, Chapter Three in Traditions in Transformation, European Association for School Music
• Davidson, M, 2025 Progression Pathways for Instrumental Music Teaching Music Teacher magazine
• Davidson, M and Gibbs-Singh, C, 2023, An A level Music fit for the 21st Century?
• Davidson, M, 2023, Changing Tracks: promoting equity in instrumental music teaching Music Teacher magazine
• Davidson, Holford and Amaechi, 2023, Changing Tracks’ Final Report
• Davidson, M, 2023, ‘How music can support local authority agendas’ Arts Professional
• Davidson, Amaechi and Holford, 2022. ‘Creative trauma-informed musical nurture groups: learning & impact report’
• Davidson, M, 2022, ‘Places for Change’: Music tutors leading change through critical reflection Arts Professional
• Davidson, M, 2016, Pulling Together, Music Teacher Magazine
• Davidson M, 2016, Composition from Social Interaction International Journal of Music, Health and Wellbeing 

• Musical Citizenship
• Music Education Policy Making
• Practice-Based Research
• Music and the Environment
• Music and Counter Cultures