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Holly Gowland

Music, University of Birmingham

Thesis title:

Exploring the local in localisation: researching local identity and urban change within electroacoustic compositional practice

Cities are in a constant state of change. Old infrastructure is removed, new buildings are created, communities come and go; these processes are inevitably accompanied by transformations in the sonic experience of neighbourhoods. This research explores the intersection of urban transformation and sound composition through the lens of sonic urbanism. The aim is to investigate how urban spaces, constantly evolving due to social, economic, and technological changes, are perceived and experienced through sound. By composing within these changing environments, the study reflects on the fluidity of both space and place, drawing attention to how sound contributes to the identity, transformation, and memory of urban landscapes.

The literature review focuses on the concepts of “sonic environments,” including urban soundscapes and place-making, examining how composers engage with the auditory elements of cities. The research draws from both music composition and human geography, engaging with key discussions on space, place, and sound. It reviews how urban sounds—whether natural or man-made—are integral to the creation of meaningful spaces, as well as how they change in response to urban renewal, gentrification, and technological advancements.

Methodologies:

The study adopts a comparative approach, focusing on two case studies: Stirchley and Digbeth, urban areas undergoing significant transformation in Birmingham, UK. Methodologies include:

  • Sonic Data Collection: Field recordings capturing the spectral qualities of urban spaces to analyse how sound shapes and is shaped by its environment.
  • Sound Mapping: Employed to spatially represent the soundscape of each location, showing the relationship between sound and the physical environment.
  • Ethnographic Approaches: Interviews and experiential data collection reveal the subjective experiences of inhabitants and visitors, exploring how they perceive changes in the soundscape.
  • Compositional Response: Sonic compositions responding to these data, emphasising how sound can represent both the tangible and intangible aspects of urban transformation.

My methodology considers Bourdieu’s ideology of Habitus (Bourdieu, 1984) in relation to Wishart’s theory of surrealist environments (Wishart, 1986); Lefebvre’s socio-political theory about urbanisation (Lefebvre, 1996); Clarke’s theory on aesthetic, perception and ecology (Clarke, 2005); and Schafer’s sound categorisation of environment and cityscapes (Schafer, 1977). 

Research Questions:

1. How do sonic environments influence the perception and experience of urban spaces, and what role does sound play in shaping the identity and memory of specific urban places?

2. In what ways can sound be used as a compositional tool to represent or critique the transformation of urban spaces, particularly in contexts of gentrification and urban redevelopment?

3. How do different physical and acoustic properties of urban spaces affect sound propagation, and how can these variations be mapped and represented within a compositional framework?

4. What is the role of technology (e.g., spatial audio, AR/VR) in shaping contemporary sonic environments, and how can these technologies be used to create new forms of sonic space-making and placemaking in urban settings?

4. How is sound space or place recreated through composition?

Research Area

  • Composition
  • Music

Publications

2024

Club Together Club

Microcosmic for Vibraphone (performed by Meng-Hua Lin)

2022:

NMC

Rapport for Solo Clarinet (performed by Will Hammond)

Conferences

2024:

University of Greenwich Sound/ Image Conference

Performance - Skew (for viola and electronics)

2023:

University of Greenwich Sound/ Image Conference

Paper presentation - The Impact of Urbanisation on Electronic Music

Public Engagement & Impact

Awards:

Peter Redfearn Prize for Composition

Ida Carroll Bursary

Carole Emery Bursary

McQueen Bursary

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Composition Prize

John Mayer Prize

Musicians' Union Bill Warman Award for the most promising music creator

7th Annual Henfrey Prize for Composition

AHRC Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership


Performances:

2024:

Skew for Viola and Ultrasonic Ranging Sensor - University of Greenwich Sound Image Festival 2024

Glossa for Tabla and Piano - 7th Annual Henfrey Prize for Composition at St Catherine's College, Oxford 

Skew for Viola and Ultrasonic Ranging Sensor - Modern Art Oxford 

Skew for Solo Viola (Acoustic) - Retune Festival at Holywell Music Room, Oxford 

Microcosmic for vibraphone and electronics - Club Together Club Radio, Berlin

Skew for Viola and Ultrasonic Ranging Sensor - EMPRes at Denis Arnold Hall

Multimedia at Jacqueline du Pré Building, St Hilda's College Oxford


2023:

Refraction for Ensemble Isis - Jacqueline du Pré Building, St Hilda's College Oxford

Geo-Bio-Anthro - MUSLAB Electroacoustic Music International Exhibition at Museo Anthropólogico Y de Arte Contemporáneo, Ecuador

Polar and Geo-Bio-Anthro - CODA Festival

Cosmosis for Molly Welling - Into the Quadrivium at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Metamorph for 11 saxophones - International Saxophone Chamber Day in Bradshaw Hall

Modulo for drum kit, contact microphones and electronics - Storm Comin' at Centrala


2022:

Microcosmic for vibraphone and electronics - Bradshaw Hall

Microcosmic for vibraphone and electronics - Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Tabata for cello and pedal - Royal Birmingham Conservatoire


Other Research Interests

Digital Geographies, Affect, Sound Ecology, Sound Studies

Memberships

PRS Foundation

Royal Geographical Society - Postgraduate Representative for Digital Geographies