Both the music and the visuals are inspired by the 40,000-mile migration from pole to pole of the Arctic tern. The visuals were captured by refugee groups who have fled conflict, and people seeking asylum in Bradford and Cardiff, in a poignant reflection on displacement and endurance. 

Celebrated violinist Fenella Humphreys, a specialist at performing new music, performed the concerto at this event. The piece was written for Sinfonia Cymru by Mark David Boden, an award-winning composer, music producer and lecturer in composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. 

All events across New Music Biennial 2025 were free.

Events included two performances of the same work and a short interview with the creative team in between the two. This enabled audiences to experience the second performance with greater insight into the creative process.

New Music Biennial is a three-day festival celebrating the best new music across all genres from the country’s most exciting composers – and in 2025, for the first time, it came to venues around Bradford.