Elizabeth Morris

Profile

I’m Lizzie and I am researching music in dementia care. Currently I am a postgraduate researcher at the University of Leeds School of Music, supervised by Dr Freya Bailes and Professor Karen Burland. My PhD is being funded by the Stanley Burton Research Scholarship.

My research specifically investigates the perspectives of care providers’ who have experience of musical interventions in dementia care. Despite the rapid growth of research investigating the benefits of musical engagement for people living with dementia, there is little research that reports the experience of these interventions from the care providers’ perspective. Without the engagement and cooperation of these people, music in dementia care would be ineffective. The inspiration behind this research came from volunteering at my local dementia choir Songtime and witnessing first-hand the impact that music can have on people living with dementia as well as the barriers practitioners face. In addition to my research, I also co-chair the Music Psychology @ Leeds research group.

Before starting my PhD, I completed a Master of Research in music and dementia care and obtained a first-class BA Hons in music at the University of Nottingham. During my time at Nottingham, I won the Performance Prize in 2019 and was the music departments’ postgraduate course representative.

Outside of academia you can find me performing at grassroots festivals, playing a tune at the local pub or busking in the streets. As a passionate fiddle player, many weekends involve performing in one form or another.  

Research interests

- Music and dementia

- Music psychology

- Music and wellbeing

- Dementia care

- Theraptuic music

- Musical interventions

- Arts for dementia

- Music therapy

Qualifications

• Master of Research, University of Nottingham
• First Class BA Hons in Music, University of Nottingham
• Performance Prize 2019, University of Nottingham