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A video greeting for UNESCO World Day of Glaciers

In the biting cold of -30°C, a group of musicians and researchers embark on a field expedition to one of the fastest-changing landscapes on Earth. Against the backdrop of melting glaciers and shifting ice, Glacier Lamentation unites art and science in a powerful exploration of climate change through sound.

Led by saxophonist and composer Torben Snekkestad, in collaboration with glaciologist Prof. Andy Hodson (UNIS) and the Norwegian Academy of Music, the project captures the voices of glaciers—recording their movements, ruptures, and hidden resonances. These sounds, combined with scientific data sonification, will form the foundation of innovative electroacoustic compositions, immersive soundscapes, and artistic installations.

The GlaciGas project at UNIS highlights the urgent scientific context: Svalbard's glaciers are major methane emission hotspots, releasing potent greenhouse gases as they retreat. The research underscores the accelerating impact of climate change and the critical need for immediate action.

Glaciers are not silent

Over the next three years, Glacier Lamentation will present its findings through concerts, sound sculptures, an album, audiovisual installations, and a podcast documentary. By blending artistic expression with scientific research, the project seeks to deepen public understanding, inspire emotional engagement, and drive meaningful climate action at conferences, art venues, and educational institutions.

Glaciers are not silent. Through Glacier Lamentation, we are invited to listen—to the echoes of a changing climate, to the sentinels of the Arctic, and to the urgency of our own response.