Music and science collide in Moth x Human, a brand new composition by musician Ellie Wilson that transforms moth flight information right into a haunting tribute to those missed pollinators
A thought-provoking collaboration melding music and nature has shone a lightweight on the nocturnal world of a much-maligned member of the insect household: the moth.
Violinist Ellie Wilson used moth flight information gleaned from a biodiversity monitoring station to compose Moth x Human, which was commissioned by producer and charity Oxford Modern Music, with assist from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and premiered on 7 June on the Bradford 2025 UK Metropolis of Tradition New Music Biennial.
“Moths get a bit missed as a result of they arrive out at evening after we’re asleep,” mentioned Wilson, “however as pollinators they’re simply as vital as bees and butterflies. I needed to rejoice them for the wonderful creatures they’re.”
The start line for Wilson’s piece was a spreadsheet of knowledge revealing the ebb and move of 80 moth species in a protected habitat on Salisbury’s Parsonage Downs. Wilson assigned every species a unique sound, which was triggered by the report of it touchdown on the CEH’s monitor.
After enjoying again her insect collaborators’ composition for the primary time, Wilson was surprised by the outcomes. “It was sensible. The moths ended up creating this reasonably wonderful piece for me.”
Fragments of melody from the moths’ motion knowledgeable the music Wilson composed for accompanying musicians who performed the violin, cello, trombone, piano and synths.
The result’s an ethereal piece of labor highlighting the impression of habitat decline on UK moth populations: the composition ends with a bit utilizing information from a farmland monoculture with solely 19 moth species.
“It’s fairly euphoric initially however issues are very, very completely different by the top,” famous Wilson. You’ll be able to actually hear the distinction.”
Moth X Human was commissioned for the PRS Basis, Southbank Centre and Bradford 2025 UK Metropolis of Tradition New Music Biennial.
Ellie Wilson premieres Moth x Human in Bradford on Saturday seventh June.
Free tickets can be found now for Bradford (6-8 June) and Southbank Centre (4-6 July).
Predominant picture: Dmitri Djuric
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