In what may be a global first, one of the most recognizable melodies in the world will ring out across the ice sheets of Antarctica.
Flanked by icebergs and dotted with penguins, Antarctica is one of the least accessible places on earth, with vast stretches of icy terrain between the sea and the South Pole. For those in the Western Hemisphere, it may be reached by ship from Tierra del Fuego, the very tip of South America shared by Chile and Argentina, from which Mses. McMichael and Terry launch on December 30, 2023.
Leaving their husbands behind, the duo will reach the ice shelf just in time to ring in a frosty New Year. The trip has been in the works since the pair first discussed adventuring south at the annual Distinctly Bronze, a ringing and learning event for advanced handbell musicians, this last February.
For the occasion, six pieces have been arranged for eight bells, with both women responsible for four bells. Each are bringing half a diatonic octave of baby bells, G6–G7, with the additional F#7. All pieces in the repertoire are in the key of C or G and will be rung four-in-hand. Should the waddling penguins desire a performance program, the pieces are:
- Auld Lang Syne
- Plain Hunt Peal, adapted
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Joy to the World
- My Country, 'Tis of Thee
- Jingle Bells
“Auld Lang Syne” is a globally-recognized tune based on a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. It is traditionally sung to bid farewell to the old year on New Year's Eve. With the performance in Antarctica, bells will be ringing “Auld Lang Syne” across all seven continents this year during the 2024 National Bell Festival.
About the National Bell Festival
The National Bell Festival is on a mission to celebrate and restore bells in America. Each year on New Year’s Day, the festival rings in the New Year with free community events across the U.S. and across the world. The organization also works throughout the year to restore historic bells and bell towers to their former thundering glory.
The National Bell Festival’s work supports the United Nations’ Global Goal No. 11 for Sustainable Development: Protecting the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage, and is enabled, in part, by a Google for Nonprofits grant. Learn more about the National Bell Festival and the lineup of events and experiences on New Year’s Day by visiting: Bells.org
Paul Ashe
National Bell Festival
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