OpenLearn Profile

Fiona Richards

Fiona Richards

Music Department

Professional biography
Fiona Richards is Senior Lecturer at The Open University. She read music at Durham University, followed by a postgraduate year as a bassoonist at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies. Freelance orchestral and teaching work was combined with study for an MMus at the University of London, Goldsmiths' College. She subsequently taught on the undergraduate music courses at Goldsmiths and at Kingston University. Fiona Richards read music at Durham University. She then spent a postgraduate year as a bassoonist at the National Centre for Orchestral Studies. Freelance orchestral and teaching work was combined with study for an MMus at the University of London, Goldsmiths' College. She subsequently taught on the undergraduate music courses at Goldsmiths and at Kingston University. In October 1994, she joined the staff of The Open University. Since then she has completed a PhD on the subject of Meanings in the Music of John Ireland, and has published The Music of John Ireland (Ashgate, 2000). She has also contributed to New Grove II and The New Dictionary of National Biography. Her research interests are based in three main areas: music in Britain in the 20th century, the music of Australia and performance practice. She has produced articles and broadcasts on the music of William Baines, Malcolm Williamson, Judith Weir and John Woolrich.