www.simonwhetham.co.uk
Workshops
Since initiating the 'Active Crossover' project during a residency in Tallinn, Estonia in 2009 during which I ran my first workshop sessions, I have been invited to give various Active Listening and Field Recording workshops internationally.
Testimonials:
In November 2025, Simon led a workshop at GMEA with a group of people seeking asylum, exploring contemporary music and listening through drawing. The workshop was a great success. Although the participants were unfamiliar with experimental and contemporary music, Simon encouraged them to express what they heard and helped them discover the many layers of sound and feeling that emerge when we listen attentively.
Emilie Beffara, Chargée de production & coordination du projet tekhnē, GMEA Albi, France
British sound artist and performer Simon Whetham was a guest artist-in-residence at AIR – Artist in Residence Lower Austria in Krems on the Danube in the fall of 2021, at the invitation of Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche.
As part of this residency, he led a special workshop on active listening and sound awareness for children, with the support of music educator Katharina Wallaberger. The workshop was part of the KINDER.KUNST.FEST program, which is held annually on October 26 along the Kunstmeile Krems.
Simon presented the children with selected examples of sounds from the past 100 years, explained their significance, and used recordings to demonstrate how different sounds can be perceived—especially when one cannot see what is causing them.
The children were attentive and enthusiastic, and Simon made the workshop very vivid and engaging. It was a great pleasure and an enriching experience to have him here in Krems and to be able to take part in this workshop!
Paula Haslinger, Curator (music) for AiR Niederösterreich, Krems, Austria
We selected Simon for his inventive, hands-on approach to sound and his ability to turn overlooked materials into exciting creative possibilities. He was wonderful with the young participants, guiding them with warmth and generosity as they built an audiovisual "robot" from discarded electronics. His openness, imagination and genuine care made the experience inspiring and memorable for the children, and made him an outstanding part of the residency.
Petr Vrba, Director of Unijazz and curator of Access project 2024, Prague, Czechia
As a most compelling addition to our event series with the Latent Space Laboratory at ‘Die Halle’, VS-Schwenningen (Germany), Simon guided a group of students and professors through the process of creating upcycled sound generators as instruments from repurposed electrical appliances and components thereof. We explored the relationship between post-digital sound art and digital lutherie during this truly captivating full-day session culminating in an interactive group improvisation and sound performance. Great fun and horizon-broadening, highly recommended!
Norman Müller (NM Soundindex, Meersburg, DE), curator and organiser of ‘Peripheral Techne: Sound of Repurposed Machines with Simon Whetham’, part of the KISS project hosted by HfM Trossingen and Furtwangen University, 3rd May 2024.
Workshop Structure:
Beginning with a brief presentation of my working practice, methods and thoughts on the act of listening, the participants are then led blindfolded to locations both familiar and unfamiliar, which enables them to focus on the sonic characteristics of the environment, without being distracted by the visual associations of those sounds. In other words to just hear and enjoy the sounds for what they are and how our perception, and reception, of them is affected even by the slightest change in a position.
I go on to demonstrate different ways of recording sound using various techniques and microphones that are inexpensive and easy to construct, such as contact microphones, induction coil sensors and hydrophones.
'El Mundo de los Sonidos Ocultos' for Red Artes Visuales de Medellín, Colombia, 2013
Workshops to Date
'Active Crossover' first workshop for Kulturitehas Polymer, Tallinn, Estonia 2009
'Collective Listening' workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
November 2025
Active listening and sound awareness workshops for a group of asylum seekers, GMEA, Albi, France.
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
September 2024
One week of workshop sessions with a dedicated team of students at Gymnazium Jana Keplera in Prague, Czechia to develop a kinetic light and sound sculpture which reused parts of computers and other electronic waste which was named "EXPC". Supported by Access, Unijazz and Creative Europe.
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June 2024
Online listening and sound awareness workshop, activities and English class for children aged 8-12 for Han Jimin, South Korea.
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
May 2024
Workshop using salvaged motor devices from discarded technology to be activated by sound - with students of Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, Black Forest, Germany
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
August 2022
Active listening and sound awareness workshops over one week for local community a part of Something to Say with Lakeland Arts, Windermere Jetty Museum, Cumbria, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2022
Active listening and sound awareness workshop for local schoolchildren with Château Éphémère, Carrières-sous-Poissy, France
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
March 2022
Workshop using salvaged motor devices from discarded technology to be activated by sound - with students of Haute École des Arts du Rhin, Strasbourg and Mulhouse, France
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2021
Active listening and sound awareness workshop for local children for the KinderKunstFest with AiR Niederösterreich, Krems, Austria
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October & November 2019
Active listening and sound painting workshop for young children with Palbok Factory of Contemporary Art, Jeonju, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
July 2019
Active Listening and recording workshop, including exploring with microphones and construction of hydrophones for Reservoir Festival, Black Forest, Germany
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
January 2019
Active listening and sound appreciation workshop for children over two days, with recording and contact microphone investigation for Appleseed Academy, Seoul, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2017
Artist talk and contact mic construction workshop with students of Daniel Hignell at Brighton and Hove City College, Brighton, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2017
Active listening and recording workshop for children with Open Arts Project, Busan, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June 2017
'Further Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and hydrophone construction masterclass for Ting Shuo Artspace, Tainan, Taiwan
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June 2017
'Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and microphone construction workshop with Instant 42, Changhua, Taiwan
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June 2017
'Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and microphone construction workshop with Instant 42, Taipei, Taiwan
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2017
'Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and performance workshop with schoolchildren of Gesamtschule, Bad Driburg for 'Hidden Dreams' project by Birgit Asshoff for Alles Kunst, Paderborn, Germany
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
March 2017
'Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and microphone construction workshop at Venue, Taipei, Taiwan with Sandra Tavali
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
March 2017
'Hidden Sounds' listening, recording and microphone construction masterclass for Ting Shuo Artspace, Tainan, Taiwan
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
December 2016
Active listening and sound exploration workshop with schoolchildren for Namwon Sound Project, Namwon, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
September 2016
Active listening and sound exploration workshop for Ropewalkers Project, West Coker, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
August 2016
Active listening and sound sharing workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
July 2016
Active listening and sound exploration workshops with schoolchildren for Yatoo International Project, Wongol, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
September 2015
Active listening, recording and contact mic building for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2015
Active listening workshop at Räpina School of Horticulture, Estonia with Yiorgis Sakellariou
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
January 2015
Active listening, recording and contact mic building, Galerie Školská 28, Prague, Czech Republic
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
November 2014
Hydrophone building workshop for Arko, Seoul, Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
November 2014
Active listening and recording workshop for Artist Residency TEMI, Daejeon, Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2014
Sonic Activity Workshop - 3 day workshop covering active listening, recording, contact microphone building and performance with recordings at Seoul Art Space Mullae, Seoul, Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2014
Active listening and recording workshop with children under 16 at Children's Museum, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
August 2014
Active listening and recording workshop for Emu Space, University of Adelaide, Australia
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June & July 2014
Collaborative active listening, recording and performance workshop by Eamon Sprod and Simon Whetham with children of Castlemaine Primary South School, Australia
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
March 2014
Active Listening and recording workshop, including exploring with contact microphones and construction of hydrophones for Villa Waldberta and Signalraum, Munich, Germany
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
February & March 2014
Listening and recording project with group of unaccompanied young refugees in Munich, Germany
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
November 2013
Cultural Rucksack presentations to 10 groups of 30 schoolchildren in one week, explaining field recording techniques, demonstrating work and giving listening exercises with Terje Paulsen. Agder Kunstsenter X-Huset Project Space, Kristiansand, Norway
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
November 2013
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop. Included construction of and exploration with contact microphones and hydrophones built using inexpensive components. Agder Kunstsenter, Kristiansand, Norway
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2013
Active Listening and Field Recording Workshop, McNeill Street Pumping Station New Music Festival 2013, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
July -September 2013
El Mundo de Sonidos Ocultos - workshop as part of educational arts project run by Alcaldia, Medellín and Casa Tres Patios, Colombia. Groups of children in 7 locations across Medellín, aged 8-18 years old, learnt listening exercises, microphone construction, recording techniques and instrument building, culminating in an orchestrated performance.
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
March 2013
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
January 2013
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, La Cupula, Cordoba, Argentina
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
December 2012
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, Balmaceda Arte Joven, Valparaiso, Chile for Tsonami 2012 Festival
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
May 2012
Active Listening workshop, Seepod Residency, Punctum Inc., Castlemaine, Australia
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2012
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, Balmaceda Arte Joven, Valparaiso, Chile
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2012
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, Studio Perales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
December 2011
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop, Madeiradig 2011, Madeira Island, Portugal
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2011
Active Listening workshop as part of Active Crossover 2011, Soundfjord, London, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
July 2011
Active Listening workshop as part of Active Crossover 2011, Millspace, Armley Mills, Leeds, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
June 2011
Active Listening workshop as part of Active Crossover 2011, Wolstenholme Creative Space, Liverpool, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
May 2011
Active Listening, Field Recording and Composition workshop, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
April 2011
Active Listening and Field Recording workshop as part of Active Crossover 2011, South Hill Park Digital Media Centre, Bracknell, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
February 2010
Active Listening workshop as part of Active Crossover II, Grey Area Gallery, Brighton, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
October 2009
Active Listening workshop as part of Active Crossover, Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
workshop for Soomdo, Seoul, South Korea, 2015
May 2009
Active Listening, Field Recording and Composition workshop as part of Active Crossover residency, Polymer Culturehouse, Tallinn, Estonia
