Oxford Contemporary Music is thrilled to be producing a fascinating new commission by Ellie Wilson for PRS Foundation, Southbank Centre and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture New Music Biennial in collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). Moth X Human is an immersive audio visual composition which combines cutting edge musical technologies and ecological research to highlight biodiversity through art. Moth X Human invites everyone, including children and adults, to spend time in a reflective space, sensing and becoming immersed in its soundworld.
The piece will be presented at the two New Music Biennial events at the Southbank Centre, London, and in Bradford as part of its UK City of Culture celebrations. At the Southbank Centre, UKCEH biodiversity scientist Dr. Jenna Lawson will appear in conversation with Ellie Wilson, alongside the live performance of the audio visual work. The performances will bring together an ensemble of live musicians, field recordings and electronic sounds generated from moth activity data.
At the heart of Moth X Human is Ellie’s musical response to the collection of sonic night-data from diverse species of moths across multiple sites in nature in England. The work, which inspires a sense of the wonder of nature, highlights the importance of a natural world that comes alive after dark. This world can be so easily overlooked, yet plays an absolutely essential role within our ecosystem. Ellie’s work resonates with our shared and growing anxiety for the future, on many levels: personal, social and ecological.
Ellie Wilson is a classically trained violinist with a background that spans post rock to minimalist, experimental music. She previously participated in OCM’s BOOM professional development programme, during which she incubated some of the ideas which have developed into this work.
“I am delighted to have been selected for PRS Foundation,Southbank Centre and Bradford 2025’s New Music Biennial 2025. Environmental and biodiversity issues are something I’m passionate about and Moth X Human will highlight to audiences of all ages the impact that habitat loss, climate change, light pollution and garden management has on our nocturnal pollinators.
“In collaboration with ecologists and data scientists at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, my piece explores the positive use of AI for conservation. Part data sonification, part notated composition, the piece is an interspecies dialogue. Alongside a small ensemble and electronics, moth activity data collected from UK locations is used to generate and manipulate sounds.” Ellie Wilson.
The project’s focus is to showcase the importance of natural habitats and the consequences of their destruction, and Ellie’s collaboration with UKCEH is key to this. Data collection relating to several fascinating moth species, including the elephant hawk moth and poplar moth, will take place on Parsonage Down Nature Reserve. Parsonage Down Nature Reserve is a Natural England site and a Special Area of Conservation which forms part of the UKs protected chalk grasslands. The collaborators are also exploring possibilities for creating an educational workshop which can accompany the project.
Dr Jenna Lawson of UKCEH, said:
“At a time of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, it is essential that we understand and appreciate the value of nature and the consequences of habitat loss and destruction. The data we collect as scientists highlights both the remarkable diversity of nature and consequences of its loss, however the challenge often lies in presenting this information in an interesting and informative way.
“This project will showcase the wonder of nature through music, specifically focusing on moths and the natural world that comes awake while we sleep. These fascinating creatures are essential for our ecosystems, pollinating many flowers, trees and crops during the night, but are underappreciated. We hope Ellie’s interpretation of our scientific data through a musical composition will show people the remarkable night-time biodiversity of the UK.”
The Northern School of Art’s Animation Department, in collaboration with the wider creative community, will be developing a visual accompaniment to Ellie Wilson’s latest composition. This piece will feature over 100 hand-rendered moth designs, crafted by talented creatives from our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. These intricate illustrations will be brought to life through animation, seamlessly complementing the music. Matthew Burton, Senior Lecturer in Illustration & Animation, comments, “We are honoured to contribute to this inspiring project, and we look forward to working with Ellie for the MOTH X HUMAN project as part of Capital of Culture 2025!
The company is planning a further national tour and iterations of the work in 2025/2026.
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