A thought-provoking collaboration melding music and nature has shone a light on the nocturnal world of a much-maligned member of the insect family: the moth.
Violinist Ellie Wilson used moth flight data gleaned from a biodiversity monitoring station to compose Moth x Human, which was commissioned by producer and charity Oxford Contemporary Music, with support from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and premiered on 7 June at the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture New Music Biennial.
“Moths get a bit overlooked because they come out at night when we’re asleep,” said Wilson, “but as pollinators they’re just as important as bees and butterflies. I wanted to celebrate them for the amazing creatures they are.”
