Richard Crozier studied music at university and, having completed a BA Hons degree and Postgraduate Certificate of Education, taught in secondary schools as Head/Director of Music for thirteen years. Following this, he was appointed Area Music Co-ordinator in the County of Avon, working as a peripatetic group woodwind teacher and furthering liaison work between classroom teaching and instrumental teaching. In 1991, Richard was appointed as County Music Inspector in Bedfordshire where his duties involved advisory and pastoral work in addition to local authority inspection of schools, followed by a role as an Ofsted trained inspector of primary and secondary schools.

In 1995 he moved to the ABRSM as Course Director for the CT ABRSM (Certificate of Teaching, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), one year part-time professional development course for instrumental and singing teachers which was launched in the autumn of that year. Subsequently promoted to Professional Development Director for the Associated Board he was responsible for developing the following courses: CT ABRSM, including its delivery in Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong; Teaching Music Effectively, launched in 2005; Introduction to Instrumental and Vocal Teaching, launched in 2005, and Being an Effective Teacher, the first fully online professional development course for instrumental and vocal teachers.

Richard is the author of Offbeat, a practical guide to pop and jazz for GCSE (Heinemann 1987), co-author of Carousel, a primary music scheme (Ginn 1996), co-author with Paul Harris of The Music Teacher’s Companion (ABRSM 2000), project director with Nigel Scaife for All Together! (ABRSM 2004) and author of Musical Instruments for Children (Hamlyn 2007).

Since leaving ABRSM in 2012, Richard works as a freelance music consultant and recent engagements have included: work with the Arts Council of England and Creative & Cultural Skills on the development of the new Qualification for Music Educators: with Trinity College London as Acting Head of Academic Governance (Music); for Alan Cameron, Education Officer, Dumfries and Galloway, and also with a number of Music Services.