The Townshend Studio appoints Synthesiser Studio Coordinator and first Artist in Residence

The Townshend Studio at the University of West London (UWL), which opened in October 2024, has recently appointed Theo Sofowote as Synthesiser Studio Coordinator and Anna Daly Edgington as its first Artist in Residence.

The studio houses a collection of instruments used by Pete Townshend, co-founder of rock band The Who and alumnus of Ealing School of Art (now UWL). The collection is comprised of twelve principal synthesisers, plus many other instruments used by Pete throughout his career. It is a creative space for learning, collaboration, experimentation, and play, inspired by and built upon the musical and artistic legacy of Ealing, with a goal of promoting and encouraging creative practice for all.

A lecturer in new modular music at UWL’s London College of Music (LCM), Theo Sofowote started as Synthesiser Studio Co-ordinator in early January. He is in the studio 9am – 5pm on weekdays helping students from LCM, the School of Computing and Engineering (SCE) and across the University to realise their creative goals and assessment work.

“I’m a synthesiser enthusiast,” he explains, “so this is a dream job.

“Synthesisers were not designed to replace acoustic instruments but be an addition to them. Each instrument is very set in what they do, but a synthesiser can emulate the timbre and feel of instruments but also sound totally different.”

The Studio’s Artist in Residence for January and February is Anna Daly Edgington, whose artist name is AUNCE. She describes the Studio as a “playground.”

“I often work with manipulating vocals and lots of synth sounds, but I have never had the opportunity to touch such epic vintage precious synths. There’s so much scope here to create something new.

“I have already collected a lot of cool sounds, and I am building worlds and songs around them. Having the time and space to play like this is super precious.”

As well as making music, Anna will run workshops with students and will be sharing her experiences in the Studio on social media.

Senior Lecturer in Music Technology and Course Leader for BA Electronic Music Production at LCM Greg Smith comments, “These are exciting times for the University; not only do we have the best vintage synthesiser collection of any educational establishment in the world, but we now have a genuine expert in the field in Theo to guide our students and staff in their use.

“Additionally, the Artist in Residence Programme allows UWL to provide an incredible opportunity for emerging artists to explore creativity with technology in the same way that Pete did throughout his career.

“None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of Pete Townshend who has funded the positions and the development of the studio.”

If you would like to visit the Townshend Studio, Greg and Theo are more than happy to show you around. Email [email protected]