Are you an Antarctic wind instrument maker?

Ralph, the head of the US’s Antarctic Search for Meteorites program, is looking for a portable wind instrument to add some musical warmth to the frigid zen-like region of the East Antarctic Polar Plateau. Ralph and his team spend weeks camping in the desolate ice and need your help!

Ralph writes,

I run the US’s Antarctic Search for Meteorites program, which means my team and I spend weeks camping out in some of the most desolate regions of the East Antarctic Polar Plateau. There’s absolutely nothing human or alive about these places; extremely beautiful in a zen-like way but (pardon the pun) also quite cold.

I’ve often fantasized about creating some kind of wind-played instrument that I could deploy around camp (when the mood is right) that would let the often fierce local winds play for us. Something like an aeolian harp would be perfect, but of course there are constraints. It would have to be durable (able to handle 40-50kt winds and -40C cold) , portable (breaking down to duffel-bag size) and “turn-offable” (even the most attractive sounds get old after 24/7 for weeks on end). 3000 lb windchimes are unfortunately out.

If you ever run into anyone you think might be interested in helping me create such an instrument, let me know. It would have to be for the joy of it and the exposure; there’s no money involved, nor can I bring non-scientists with me into the field. Certainly I can promise some exposure for their efforts, some pretty unique video and imagery.

Sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity! If you are interested in realizing Ralph’s idea, send me an email and I’ll get you both connected.