Birmingham’s Creative Sound Scene: Shaping the Future of Audio Art

Birmingham’s vibrant arts community is entering a new era of sonic exploration. At its heart stands cellist, composer and educator Hannah Marshall, whose Out of the Box Workshop: Unlocking Musical Curiosity has become a beacon for adventurous musicians and sound artists across the UK. Now, with an expansive discography spanning free-improvisation ensembles, solo works and collaborative compositions, Hannah is inviting Birmingham’s creatives to join her in co-creating the next wave of audio art.

From Workshop to Worldwide Resonance Creative Sound

Hannah’s Out of the Box Workshop series brings together composers, instrumentalists and curious listeners in playful, open-ended sessions. Participants explore improvisation techniques—experimenting with texture, rhythm and extended techniques—to break free from conventional musical boundaries. These hands-on gatherings foster deep listening and collective invention, whether through spontaneous duets or immersive group sound-painting.

A Discography of Discovery

Over the past decade, Hannah’s recording projects have traced a path from intimate field recordings to large-scale improvisatory works:

• Fluid Fixations (2024): An ensemble commissioned by Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, uniting cello, turntables, electronics and wind instruments in a pulsating tapestry of sound.

• Sense of ourHum (2023): Eight ambient drone pieces for cello, violin, auto-harp and voice—designed for meditation, creative work or restful slumber.

• LowLines – Series 1 (2024): The award-winning podcast score that follows a solo traveller across the Americas, blending on-location recordings with live cello improvisations.

• Benedict Taylor / Hannah Marshall Quartet (2024): A free-form live performance pairing viola, double bass, percussion and cello, captured at London’s GRAIN Residency.

• Horse Box 2 (2021): A compilation of spontaneous sessions from London’s Horse Improv Club, featuring some of the UK’s most daring improvisers.

Each release highlights Hannah’s ability to weave field recordings, extended cello techniques and electronic processing into compelling narratives—soundtracks that span galleries, theatres and digital platforms alike. Creative Sound

Collaborate in Birmingham

Whether you’re an event organiser seeking a bespoke soundtrack for a gallery opening, a theatre director in need of evocative soundscapes, or a fellow musician eager to push the boundaries of improvisation, Hannah Marshall is open to collaboration. Her practice thrives on exchange: from site-specific audio walks beneath Birmingham’s historic streets to interactive workshop residencies in community centres.

🎧 Discover the full range of tracks and workshop details at hannahmarshall.net/sounds. If you’re based in Birmingham and passionate about forging new auditory experiences, get in touch to co-design performances, installations or educational programmes. Together, let’s chart uncharted sonic territory—and shape the future of audio art in Birmingham and beyond.