Bonshor, Michael, Dr

Dr Michael Bonshor

BA Hons, MA, PhD, PGCertTLHE, FHEA, FISM

Department of Music

University Teacher in Music Psychology

Course Director, MA Music Psychology in Education, Performance and Wellbeing

Man with glasses smiling at camera sitting on a chair

m.bonshor@sheffield.ac.uk

Jessop Building

Full contact details

Dr Michael Bonshor
Department of Music
Jessop Building
Leavygreave Road
91̽��
S3 7RD

Profile

I am Course Director of the University of 91̽��’s well-established Distance Learning MA in Music Psychology in Education, Performance and Wellbeing, for which we recently celebrated 25 years of successful learning and teaching. Other teaching roles include lectureships at University College, London; the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; and Leeds Conservatoire, where I am Professor of Voice, Wellbeing and Performance Psychology.

In my early life, I had a career as a professional singer with international contracts, after which I developed a portfolio of work as a performer, piano accompanist, teacher, conductor, choral arranger, director and workshop leader. I also ran my own professional theatre company, opera group and jazz ensemble.

Previous teaching roles have included leading the Music and Wellbeing module at York St John University, voice and instrumental teaching in primary and secondary schools, and lecturing on Musical Theatre and Drama courses in Further Education. In my private teaching practice, I enjoyed teaching singers and
instrumentalists of all ages and abilities.

Research interests

For my MA research project, I explored performance anxiety in singers, and my PhD research focused on confidence building for singers and conductors. My book, The Confident Choir: A Handbook for leaders of Group Singing, has been published by Rowman and Littlefield International.

Ongoing research interests include performance anxiety management; confidence building for performers; music and wellbeing; voice and identity; choirs and other group singing activities; brass band playing; conducting and ensemble leadership; and group dynamics in musical contexts. I have a special interest in the practical applications of research, and regularly lead public engagement and training events based on my research, teaching and professional experience.

My research-informed practical workshops include group singing for people who self-identify as ‘non-singers’; voice training sessions for transgender and non-binary people; using singing-related skills to support people with respiratory conditions and vocal disorders; music and wellbeing sessions for mental health service users; musical leadership training; practical applications of performance psychology for singers, conductors and choir leaders; and developing confident performance in a wide range of musical and non-musical settings.

Publications

Books

Bonshor M (2017) The Confident Choir A Handbook for Leaders of Group Singing. Rowman & Littlefield.

Journal articles

Irons JY, Bonshor M, Tip L, Boyd S, Wydenbach N & 91̽�� D (2024) . International Journal of Community Music, 17(2), 129-160.
Cooper E, Timmers R, Bonshor M, Esposito K, Jansen M & Bevan C (2024) . Music & Science, 7.
Bonshor M (2020) . Music Performance Research, 38-56.
Williamson V & Bonshor M (2019) . Frontiers in Psychology, 10(-), ---.
Bonshor M (2017) . Research Studies in Music Education, 39(2), 139-160.
Bonshor MJ (2017) . Psychology of Music, 45(5), 628-644.
BONSHOR M (2017) . British Journal of Music Education, 34(1), 115-117.
Bonshor M (2016) . International Journal of Community Music, 9(3), 291-305.
BONSHOR M (2016) . British Journal of Music Education, 33(1), 119-122.
Bonshor M (2016) . Psychology of Music, 44(1), 148-151.
BONSHOR M (2014) . British Journal of Music Education, 31(2), 236-238.
BONSHOR M (2011) . British Journal of Music Education, 28(3), 396-397.
Bonshor M () . Psychology of Music.
Bonshor M () . Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy.

Chapters

Kreutz G & Bonshor M (2021) , Together in Music (pp. 191-199). Oxford University Press

Book reviews

Bonshor M (2017) . Psychology of Music, 45(6), 910-912.
Bonshor M (2016) . Psychology of Music, 44(6), 1522-1524.

Research group

I am co-supervising two PhD projects, both of which are funded by WRoCAH (the White Rose College of Arts and Humanities). In connection with this, I am a member of Singing in Balance: A WRoCAH PhD Network on Group Singing, Wellbeing and Health. The PhD topics under my supervision are:

● Exploring the use of singing-related skills to support individuals with respiratory conditions
● The benefits and challenges, for transgender singers, of participating in group singing activities

Professional activities and memberships

I am a longstanding Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians (recently renamed as the Independent Society of Musicians) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Editorial roles have included reviewing for Routledge, Psychology of Music, the International Journal of Community Music, the Journal of Voice, Music Education Research, and Frontiers in Psychology: Performance Science. I have also been a trainer for the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine, and PhD examiner
for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Other professional activities include membership of the Music Department’s Wellbeing, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Sustainability committee, and providing consultancy for Making Music’s INCLUDE project for increasing equity, diversity and accessibility in leisure-time musical participation.