Mercury Songs

Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne

An experimental piece by a five-piece ensemble that recast British folk traditions for today

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Performer-composers Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne presented a new work that recast British folk traditions for today.

Award-winning performer-composers Emily Levy and Matthew Bourne’s new work for five-piece ensemble, with experimental orchestration and rich vocal textures.

Mercury Songs is inspired by Bradford-born Julia Varley, a 20th-century activist for women’s and worker’s rights. It is a subversive reimagining of British folk traditions in a post-#MeToo world.

About this event

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.

About New Music Biennial

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.

Credits

Presented in partnership with PRS Foundation, Southbank Centre, BBC Radio 3 and NMC Recordings, and supported by Arts Council England.