University news

International staff and students at the University of Glasgow are to celebrate St Andrews night by attempting to create a new world record for the number of different languages singing the same song simultaneously.

It is hoped that speakers of up to 100 different languages will perform Auld Lang Syne, one of Scotland’s best-loved and most international compositions, at 6.30pm on Monday 30 November in the historic Bute Hall at the University.

The world record attempt has been organised as a celebration of the University’s multi-cultural make-up and to mark the end of the Hunterian Museum’s successful Homecoming Burns exhibition*.

Written by Robert Burns in 1788 and later set to the tune of a Scottish folk song, Auld Lang Syne, which is traditionally sung at Hogmanay, has become one of the most recognisable songs in the world.

University Principal Anton Muscatelli will welcome participants to the event on the night. He said: “There are over 100 different languages spoken by staff and students of the University of Glasgow and we are delighted that so many have signed up to support what promises to be a unique and special occasion. Singing Robert Burns’ international anthem will be a fitting way to end the end of the year of Homecoming.”

In order for the organisers to prepare translations of Auld Lang Syne participants should pre-register by e-mailing: auldlangsyne@archives.gla.ac.uk with your name, nationality and language that you would like to sing in.  All participants will receive an official certificate of participation.

* Celebrating Homecoming Scotland 2009 and the 250th anniversary of Burns' birth, ‘Zig-Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns’ exhibition brings together treasures from the National Burns Collections and features iconic items such as manuscripts of 'Auld Lang Syne' and 'Tam O'Shanter' and a rare first edition of Burns' first published work. The exhibition examines Burns’ work and the legend that he became using pictures, sound and his own words to show how he consciously began to create his own myth.

NOTE:

New world record for Auld Lang Syne

Over 200 international staff and students at the University of Glasgow celebrated St Andrews night by helping to create a new world record for the number of different languages singing the same song simultaneously.

A total of 41 different languages performed Auld Lang Syne, one of Scotland’s best-loved and most international compositions, together in the historic Bute Hall at the University on 30 November.

The world record was organised as a celebration of the University’s multi-cultural make-up and to mark the end of the Hunterian Museum’s successful Homecoming Burns exhibition.
 
Among the languages sung at the event were: Latin, Persian, Arabic, Malay, Vietnamese, Frisian, Hindi, Urdu, Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Romanian, Scots, Czech, Welsh, Estonian, Ukrainian, Yoruba, Swahili, Catalan, Bangla, Maori, Chichewa, Georgian, Esperanto, Thai and Igbo.

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Further information: Martin Shannon, Senior Media Relations Officer, University of Glasgow Tel: 0141 330 8593

First published: 25 November 2009