Richard Michael BEM Dip Mus Ed RSAMD
Richard Michael will be awarded a Doctor of Music (DMus) on Monday 29 June 2026 during the afternoon ceremony.
Richard Michael is a distinguished musician, educator, and broadcaster whose career has made a significant contribution to jazz education and performance in Scotland and the wider United Kingdom.
Richard founded and directed the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra in 1976, providing jazz education and performance opportunities to generations of young musicians. Many former members have gone on to successful professional careers, reflecting the ensemble’s lasting influence on the UK jazz scene.
He served as Honorary Professor of Jazz at the University of St Andrews and has been a leading figure in jazz education in schools and higher education. For nearly twenty years, he was a broadcaster on BBC Radio Scotland’s Jazz Nights, sharing insights into jazz history and performance with a wide audience.
As a pianist and organist, Richard Michael is recognised for his versatility and improvisational skill across jazz, classical and popular styles. He has been a church musician for over thirty years and is currently Director of Music at Langtoun Central Church, Kirkcaldy, where he leads musical worship and directs choirs.
His published work includes compositions across a range of genres, including the recent commission The Church Organist’s Toolkit. His choral works have been performed by ensembles such as the St Salvator’s Chamber Choir, with whom he maintains a strong association.
In 2019, he founded the St Andrews University Jazz Scholars, an elite student jazz ensemble performing regularly throughout the academic year. Earlier in his career, he spent over 30 years as Principal Teacher of Music at Beath High School, Cowdenbeath, before becoming freelance in 2007.
A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Richard Michael has combined performance, composition and education throughout his career. He is widely respected for his commitment to music education and his belief in learning through practical musical experience.