James Félix | Academic Leadership & Faculty at LASALLE Singapore

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PhD (Music), University of Leeds, UK
Master of Music (Musicology), Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, UK
Postgraduate Diploma in Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University, UK
BA (Hons) Music, University of Nottingham, UK

Dr James Félix is an ethnomusicologist, educator, multi-instrumentalist, and conductor with a unique specialisation in the intricate relationship between music, food, and identity.

Originally from Coventry, UK, Dr Félix embarked on his musical journey as a classical guitarist, completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Nottingham. He furthered his academic pursuits at Birmingham Conservatoire, earning a Master of Music degree in Musicology. His master's research delved into the profound role of Hungarian folk music within the large-scale orchestral and choral works of Zoltán Kodály. He later obtained his PhD from the University of Leeds, where his doctoral research critically examined the notion of authenticity in Portuguese fado music.

Dr Félix's research portfolio is diverse and impactful. His previous work has investigated factors influencing the development of identity among undergraduate music students during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored the application of ethnomusicological techniques and concepts as a pedagogical framework for tertiary music education. His current research is centered on the emerging field of gastromusicology, where he investigates the dynamic interplay between food, music, and expressions of cultural identity, with a particular focus on the vibrant fado music scene in Lisbon, Portugal. He is broadly interested in the development and evolution of tradition and representations of cultural identity through music.

Since 2018, Dr Félix has been an integral part of LASALLE, initially serving as a part-time lecturer before receiving a full-time appointment in 2022. He is a dedicated educator, teaching critical thinking and contextual studies modules at both diploma and undergraduate levels, and oversees the Dissertation module in the School of Contemporary Music. He also supervises music-related master's theses on the MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice programme.

At the core of Dr Félix's teaching philosophy is a profound belief in the importance of individual meaning-making. He emphasises that while content mastery and technical proficiency are essential, their true value lies in their individual interpretation and application by each student. Dr Félix strongly encourages students to relate to concepts on a personal level, fostering the nurturing of their unique artistic identities and enabling them to carve out their distinct niches within their artistic practice and work. His ultimate aim is to equip students with the necessary skills, perspectives, and mindsets to foster continuous growth beyond their formal studies, empowering them to independently navigate their future in ways that reinforce and embrace their own identity.

Articles

‘Identity Interrupted: Negotiating Identities Among Music Students in the Time of COVID-19’, in ISSUE, pp. 15-28 (2022) https://doi.org/10.33671/isssict
‘Review of João Silva, Entertaining Lisbon: Music, Theater & Modern Life in the Late 19th Century’ in Cultural History (Volume 7, Issue 1), pp. 109–111 (2018)
‘Folk or Fake: The Notion of Authenticity in Portuguese Fado’, (PhD thesis: University of Leeds) (2015)
‘Paupers, Poets and Prostitutes: The Evolving Identity of the Fadista’ in Assembling Identities, ed. Sam Wiseman, pp. 35–44 (Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars) (2014)
‘Zoltán Kodály: The Nationalism of ‘Classical Folk Music’ (unpublished Master’s Thesis, Birmingham City University [Birmingham Conservatoire]) (2009)
Various articles on www.worldmusic.net as editor and contributor (uncredited)

Research papers and presentations (select)

‘Unveiling the Sounds of the Table: A Gastromusicological Case Study of Fado and Food in Portugal’, International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance 48th World Conference; Wellington, New Zealand (2025)
‘Beyond Authenticity: Expressions of Identity in the Unified Experience of Fado and Portuguese Cuisine’, Fourteenth International Conference on Food Studies; Portalegre, Portugal (2024)
‘Fado and food: a multisensory approach to communicating Portuguese cultural identity’, Singapore Writers Festival; Singapore (2023)
‘The food-music relationship and cultural expression: a manifesto for gastromusicology’, International Council for Traditional Music 47th World Conference; Accra, Ghana (2023)
‘Seeing self in the other: towards an ethnomusicological model of music education’, Global Connections: Performance Pedagogy and Practice; Singapore (2023)
‘Adapting a conference paper to a journal article’, Launch of art journal ISSUE‘s Special Volume, Arrhythmia; Singapore (2022)
‘Transferable Authenticity: New Perspectives on the “Inauthentic” in Folk Music’, 57th RMA Annual Conference; Newcastle, UK (2021)
‘Identity Interrupted: Negotiating Artistic Identities in the Time of COVID-19’, Arrhythmia: Performance Pedagogy and Practice; Singapore (2021)
‘Music of the People, Music of a Person: An Ethnomusicological Approach to Developing Understanding and Appreciation in Popular Music Education’, scheduled to be presented at Association of Popular Music Education’s 2020 Conference [Postponed due to COVID-19] (2020)
‘Present and Past, Present and Absent: Emotional Communication and Authenticity in Portuguese Fado’, Performers(‘) Present Research Symposium; Singapore (2016)
‘Paupers, Poets and Prostitutes: The Evolving Identity of the Fadista’, Assembling Identities Research Conference; Glasgow, Scotland (2013)

Conferences and symposia

Co-convenor, Performance and the Environment, LASALLE College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore; The National University of Theatre and Film I.L Caragiale (Romania), and The University of the Philippines Diliman (2025)
Co-convenor, Music Research in Singapore Symposium, LASALLE College of the Arts (2024)
Co-convenor, Unlearning Realities – Reimagining Futures Symposium, LASALLE College of the Arts, in Collaboration with Shared Campus (2023)

Portuguese fado
Gastromusicology
Authenticity in folk music
Ethnomusicology and pedagogy
Music of Timor Leste
Music and Identity

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Dr James Félix

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Dr James Félix

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