Holly Gowland is a composer and researcher working at the intersection of sound, space, and performance. Her music blends the acoustic with the electronic, often using field recordings, custom-built technologies, and spatial techniques to explore perception, gesture, and sonic environment.

She is currently undertaking a PhD (supported by AHRC M4C and by The Mendelssohn Scholarship Foundation) in Musical Composition at the University of Birmingham, supervised by Annie Mahtani, Scott Wilson, and Phil Jones. Previous studies include a BMus (Hons) in Composition at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and an MSt in Music (Composition) at the University of Oxford.

Holly’s work has been commissioned by NMC (New Music Cassette) and Molly Welling in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. Her music has been presented internationally, including at the 2023 International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition in Ecuador, Colaboradio in Berlin, and in Milwaukee, US. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Peter Redfearn Prize, Musicians’ Union Bill Warman Award, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Composition Prize, and the 7th Annual Henfrey Prize. Holly is also the co-founder of Electra Music, an initiative promoting electronic music and production for women, which has engaged with artists such as Linda Buckley, Natalie Holt, and Sarah Belle Reid. In addition to composing, Holly is a classically trained double bassist and has performed in experimental and orchestral settings across the UK, including at Symphony Hall Birmingham and Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.