News

Harmony reached new heights recently as NASA astronaut
Cady Coleman, circling Earth aboard the International Space Station,
and musician Ian Anderson, founder of the rock band Jethro Tull,
collaborated for the first space-Earth duet.

Coleman, an amateur flutist, and Anderson played a portion of the song
"Bourree," an arrangement of which Anderson and Jethro Tull performed
during their 1969 U.S. tour as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped
on the moon. Coleman played her part from 220 miles above Earth late
last week. Anderson played his part while on tour in Perm, Russia,
during the weekend. The two parts were then joined.

Coleman and Anderson's performance saluted 50 years of human
spaceflight and the anniversary of the first launch of a human to
space. Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin completed that milestone on April 12,
1961.

"Thanks Col. Catherine Coleman in the International Space Station,"
Anderson said following the performance. "We should remember that
today's cosmonauts, scientists and astronauts are still every bit the
rocket heroes they were 50 years ago."

Coleman is an avid fan of Anderson's and carried one of his flutes
with her for a six-month stay aboard the station, along with her own
instrument. She also carried a penny whistle and Irish flute from
members of the musical group The Chieftans.

"It is really different to play up here," Coleman said earlier during
her stay on the station. "I've been having the nicest time up in our
cupola. I float around in there. A lot of the times I play with my
eyes closed."

link to video of the performance