The Coldest Concert

Every February, hundreds of people make their way to the frigid town of Finse, Norway. There, they brave temperatures far below freezing to attend a series of special outdoor concerts. Every instrument the musicians play—and even the stage they play on—is made almost entirely of ice!

This event is called the Ice Music Festival. Musicians and artists work together to carve everything from xylophones to horns to guitars. Festival founder Terje Isungset (TAHR-yeh EE-soong-set) built his first ice instrument 20 years ago. “When I heard the sound of ice, I fell in love with it,” he says.

Every February, hundreds of people make their way to the chilly town of Finse, Norway. There, they brave freezing temperatures to attend a series of special outdoor concerts. Every instrument the musicians play is made almost entirely of ice! The stage they play on is too.

This event is called the Ice Music Festival. Musicians and artists work together to carve everything from xylophones to guitars. Musician Terje Isungset (TAHR-yeh EE-soong-set) founded the festival. He built his first ice instrument 20 years ago. “When I heard the sound of ice, I fell in love with it,” he says. 

Carving each instrument can take up to 12 hours, says Bill Covitz. He’s an ice carver from Connecticut who helps with the festival almost every year. To hollow out a horn, Covitz slices a piece of ice down the middle. Then he carves a groove in each half. Smaller tools, such as chisels, help him carve finer details. Finally, he puts the halves back together and sprays them with water. This freezes them in place. 

An ice music concert is a cool experience—literally. The musicians perform at night, when temperatures can drop to -15°F. Performers wear thick gloves and use leather lip guards to protect their skin while they play their icy instruments.  “In the cold, the instruments sing beautifully,” says Covitz.

If an ice instrument gets too warm, it starts to melt. That changes the instrument’s shape and makes the sound duller. This can happen during performances, like when a musician’s warm breath heats up a horn. But Isungset thinks that keeps ice music interesting. “My favorite thing is when the audience gets surprised,” he says.

Carving each instrument can take up to 12 hours, says Bill Covitz. He’s an ice carver from Connecticut. He helps with the festival almost every year. To hollow out a horn, Covitz slices a piece of ice down the middle. Then he carves a groove in each half. Smaller tools, such as chisels, help him carve finer details. Finally, he puts the halves back together and sprays them with water. This helps freeze them in place.  

An ice music concert is a cool experience—literally. The musicians perform at night. Temperatures can drop to -15°F. Performers wear thick gloves and use leather lip guards to protect their skin while they play their icy instruments. “In the cold, the instruments sing beautifully,” says Covitz.

If an ice instrument gets too warm, it starts to melt. That changes the instrument’s shape and makes the sound duller. This can happen during performances, like when a musician’s warm breath heats up a horn. But Isungset thinks that keeps ice music interesting. “My favorite thing is when the audience gets surprised,” he says.