Moth x Human x Dinosaur
A special late-night opening of Oxford University Museum of Natural History with performance and panel discussion.
I found myself utterly charmed by [the music’s] haunting dreaminess ... combined with the atmosphere of the museum, [it] was almost hypnotic …a perfect example of collaboration between the disciplines of ecology and music. I’ve already bought a packet of seeds to encourage more moths into my garden. - Daily Info
A few photos from a special late-night opening of Oxford University Museum of Natural History on 17 October 2025 to launch the IF Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. It was a beautiful and unique evening performing Moth x Human, plus other works from my recent album, in this cathedral-like venue surrounded by dinosaur skeletons - rather apt as moths have been around since the Jurassic Period.
The performance was followed by a panel discussion and an insect exhibition from the museum’s archive.
Excellent fact from Dr Jenna Lawson: There are 30 million household gardens in the UK, amounting to more green space than all of the National Parks combined. Together we have the power to nurture beautiful mini ecosystems and make a difference.
Huge thanks to everyone involved in making this happen.
📷 Hugh Warwick
Moth x Human was commissioned by Oxford Contemporary Music with funding from PRS Foundation. A live BBC Radio 3 recording has been released on NMC Recordings.
Telling data stories through sound
The data sonification process.
When I first came up with the idea for Moth x Human I don’t think I realised quite how much time would be spent staring at spreadsheets before I could actually start making music.
The idea came to me one day at the breakfast table - to create a piece of music that explores declining biodiversity using insect activity. I was soon introduced to the biodiversity scientists at UKCEH who had recently built a solar-powered device for monitoring nocturnal insects.
AMI System
Each AMI system (Automated Monitoring of Insects) is set up to work automatically (no sitting outdoors with a flask and clipboard at midnight!) and features a light for attracting insects, along with high resolution cameras that can capture images of moths and classify them by species using AI. Over several months, they build a good picture of what biodiversity is like in different locations. The results are collected in a spreadsheet giving a timestamp and classification to each moth that lands.
Having looked at months of data from six different UK locations I selected:
1 August 2024 Parsonage Downs, Salisbury
A protected area and healthy habitat. Some of the best chalk grassland in the UK.
80 different moth species over a 4-hour period (midnight – 4am).
Audio recording from this night is buzzing with insect noise.
There was heightened activity in the early hours of 1 August, following a humid day at the end of a heatwave. I assume the hot weather had encouraged more moths to emerge from cocoons.
Telling data stories through sound
The Parsonage data was analysed in Excel to spot trends - how many times a certain species appeared and at what points during the night. The prepped data was then fed into a bespoke Max/MSP device and converted into MIDI, with each species of moth assigned a unique sound or note. I gave some of the more prominent sounds I’d created to my ‘showstopper’ moths; species such as the beautiful Elephant Hawk-moth and Burnished Brass.
And then a leap of faith - what happens when I press play?
Ellie talks through the process of uploading moth data via a bespoke Max/MSP device then assigning sounds via MIDI.
The ‘performance’ captures the ebb and flow of different species’ activity throughout the night. Four hours is condensed into almost 5 minutes (Part I of Moth x Human). At some points the moths create short melodic fragments and these can be heard later in the piece as repeating motifs in the cello and piano.
As a contrast, the end of the piece uses data from a poor habitat, audibly demonstrating declining biodiversity due to human interference.
1 August 2024 UK Farmland
Monoculture farm using pesticides
19 different moth species over a 4-hour period (midnight – 4am).
Audio recording from this night is eerily silent.
About Moth x Human
Moth x Human is an immersive audio-visual composition which combines cutting edge musical technologies and ecological research to highlight biodiversity through art. The piece will be presented for the first time at the two PRSF New Music Biennial events at the Southbank Centre, London, and in Bradford as part of its UK City of Culture celebrations.
At the heart of Moth X Human is Ellie’s musical response to the collection of sonic night-data from diverse species of moths from UK nature sites. The work, which inspires a sense of the wonder of nature, highlights the importance of a natural world that comes alive after dark.
The piece is written for 2 violins, cello, trombone, piano, synths, electronics … and moths.
For more info visit:
https://ocmevents.org/project/new-music-biennial/
https://www.ceh.ac.uk/solutions/equipment/automated-monitoring-insects-trap
New Music Biennial
New commission exploring moth biodiversity selected as part of PRSF’s New Music Biennial
I’m delighted that my new work Moth X Human has been selected for PRSF New Music Biennial 2025. Environmental and biodiversity issues are something I’m passionate about and this piece will highlight the impact that habitat loss, climate change and light pollution has on our nocturnal pollinators.
In collaboration with biodiversity scientists at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, my piece explores the positive use of AI for conservation. Part data sonification, part notated composition, the work is an interspecies dialogue. Alongside a small ensemble and electronics, moth activity data collected from UK locations is used to generate and manipulate sounds.
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 piece will be performed at the two festival weekends:
6-8 June 2025 Bradford City of Culture
4-6 July South Bank Centre
Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and released on NMC Recordings.
Commissioned by Oxford Contemporary Music
Supported by UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH)
