Henry McPherson (b.1995) is a composer, improviser, artist, and researcher from Herefordshire (UK). His portfolio explores creative relationships with the natural world through sound, movement, and visual media. Often, Henry's work is focused on plant ecologies, and the inhabitants of woodland and coastal ecosystems. He is interested in moss music and microclimates, dialogues with trees, sonic collage, illustrated notation, and dancing with instruments. His developing approach to ‘ecological improvisation’ aims to cultivate inclusive listening and interspecies empathy in and through performance.  

A versatile performer, Henry works across free improvisation, contemporary chamber and experimental music, as a pianist and DIY instrumentalist. He is a founding member of the UK-Swiss experimental collective The Noisebringers, is the co-editor of the online arts project The MASS. He is also the research and project development lead for London-based multidisciplinary performance hub The Noisy Women Present.

Henry's research work focuses on improvisation within social, community, wellbeing, and environmentally oriented initiatives across music, dance, and theatre. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Manchester's Creative Manchester research platform, and is a visiting lecturer in sonic improvisation at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland He previously lectured part-time at the University of Huddersfield.

He holds a PhD (2023) in contemporary music and contemporary dance from the University of Huddersfield Centre for Research in New Music and Research Centre for Performance Practice, where he was supported by a collaborative studentship in association with hcmf//. He also holds an MA (2018) and BMus (2017; hons, 1st) in Composition from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.