New Zealand Navy musician Natalie Paine becomes first known military musician stationed in Antarctica, playing French horn in extreme cold to boost morale.

Natalie Paine, a New Zealand Navy French horn player, is stationed at Scott Base in Antarctica, where she may be the first military musician ever posted. Arriving in October 2025 after years of applications, she works as a communications operator during grueling six-day shifts. To play in temperatures as low as minus 21°C, she uses a lightweight plastic jHorn designed for children, which won’t freeze. She practices in a historic 1957 hut, performing live at base ceremonies and bringing morale-boosting music to the isolated research station. Paine, originally from Adelaide, once dreamed of being a scientist in Antarctica but now sees music as a universal language bridging isolation and international cooperation.