Teacher wins nature-inspired music competition

A nature-loving science teacher has taken top prize in a unique national music competition devised by a University of Derby academic designed to celebrate and reconnect people with the natural world.

The Tune Into Nature Music Prize, founded by Professor Miles Richardson, aims to highlight the need for a new, stronger relationship with nature while providing vital support for young creative talent.

In its fourth year, the competition invited entries from unsigned musicians and singer-songwriters aged 18 to 30 whose original work demonstrates a genuine collaboration with nature, including sounds from the natural world.

Twelve artists were shortlisted for the prize, showcasing songs from a range of genres including folk, jazz, classic and electronic.

It was teacher Will Pearce, going under the name of ‘Beetlemania’, who impressed the judges to secure first place with his track ‘2-Spot Ladybird’.

The track sampled the call of a capercaillie and the sound of a common eider duck, as well as other natural sounds, including a herring gull and skylark recorded during a trip to Lundy, an island in the Bristol Channel.

Miles Richardson, professor of human factors and nature connectedness at the University of Derby, said: “We constantly hear about the climate and biodiversity crises, but fostering hope and forging a new bond with nature is part of the solution.

“The entrants of the Tune Into Nature Music Prize exemplify this, offering music that not only celebrates but also inspires hope through our connection with the natural world.”