Tony Whitehead

Tony Whitehead is a naturalist, birder and artist based in South Devon. His interest is in site specific live art, text and performance, particularly in relation to sound and the natural environment. Tony organises events and activities that celebrate natural sound. He co-produces A Quiet Night In with Emma Welton - a programme of concerts that has brought the work of experimental composers such as James Saunders and Catherine Lamb to unorthodox spaces across Exeter, with the venues chosen specifically to contribute their own 'sounds' to the experience.

Tony brings his ‘Wildlife Discotheque’ to Torbay, playing sounds of extinguishing British Birds and aircraft sounds from his extensive archive.

He runs Very Quiet Records, an independent label that releases recordings of quiet places or situations from sound artists and field recordists from around the world. 

“ …if you’re out here, to give yourself some space from all that noise and that bombardment of information that we have that just leads to confusion. To strip away that confusion. To get yourself into a place where you can stop and then start to re-engage quietly with the world and allow the creativity to respond to what’s around you. And out of that creativity, for your imagination to start re-engaging with the world.”

Tony will be performing as part of Street Music on Friday 7th June on Paignton Esplanade.