Dr Tom Atherton

Bio: Drawing on decades of practical experience, Dr Tom Atherton has used his knowledge to investigate composition and performance strategies centring around drums and percussion. This has led to ongoing practical outputs chiefly delivered through his solo work as Thing and frequent collaborations with co-composer Jo Quail. His practice explores and develops the role of the rock drummer by incorporating classical techniques and instrumentation, as well as using technology to overcome practical limitations and discover new sound-creating possibilities.

Key research areas: creative performance practice; development of musical notation; relationships between compositional and performance practices.

Selected outputs: 

• Octopode I  (Musical Composition, 2019)
• Vili (Musical Composition, 2025)
• ‘The Guy that Hangs Around with the Musicians’, Doctoral Thesis (Brunel University London, 2020)

 Email: tatherton@acm.ac.uk