This project features original music by Anna McMichael (violin) and Helen Svoboda (double bass, voice), responding to and shaped by the underwater sounds of the Antarctic Weddell seal. One of the largest seal species, it is found only in Antarctic waters. The Weddell seal is especially notable for its complex and diverse vocal behaviour. It produces sounds both above and below water, with around 50 distinct underwater call types recorded, including trills, whistles, chirps, grunts, knocks, and clicks—some at ultrasonic frequencies beyond human hearing.

Anna McMichael has demonstrated her deep interest in the unfolding climate crisis through many musical projects over the years, including some works released on Unsounds Records. In The Weddell Seal she is joined by double bassist and vocalist Helen Svoboda, and sound designer Tilman Robinson in an exploration of scientific underwater field recordings of Weddell seal vocalisations kindly allowed with permission from Paul A.Cziko and the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory. Animal and human voices merge in the musician's refined, poetic, and often poignant music. The set of composed and improvised pieces concludes with Australian composer Cat Hope's graphic score composition inspired by the sounds and sensitivities of the Weddell seal.

TRACKLIST

1. Foghorn (3:23)
2. Shallow Dive (4:54)
3. Drifting Floe (2:50)
4. Cold-water Coral (3:45)
5. Haul-out (5:58)
6. Pelagic (1:59)
7. Fast Ice + Powers of Navigation (6:02)
8. Benthic (improv) + Cat Hope - Vibrissae (9:00)

Foghorn (excerpt)

Shallow Dive (excerpt)

Drifting Floe (excerpt)

ABOUT THE WEDDELL SEAL

The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is a seal found only in Antarctic waters, with a circumpolar distribution around the continent. It lives along the edges of sea ice attached to the shore. Adults typically measure 2.5–3.5 metres in length and weigh 400–600 kg., making them among the largest seal species. This species is well studied because it occupies fast ice environments near the Antarctic continent, often close to research stations.

These seals communicate through multiple pathways: sound can travel through water, air, and even ice. Individuals resting on ice can hear calls from seals underwater, especially near breathing holes. Vocalisations play a key role in social interactions, particularly between mothers and pups. Mothers use calls to locate their young over distance, while pups produce higher-pitched, urgent sounds when they need feeding.

Their calls vary widely in duration, from very short clicks (10–20 milliseconds) to trills lasting over a minute, and span frequencies from about 80 Hz to 24 kHz. Interestingly, Weddell seals often avoid overlapping their calls, suggesting a form of turn-taking in communication.

Weddell seals can dive for up to 73 minutes and reach depths of 600 metres, though most dives are between 300–400 metres. They are top predators in Antarctica but are also hunted by killer whales and leopard seals. During the Antarctic spring (September–November), they return to fast ice colonies to breed and give birth.

Although their numbers declined significantly during early Antarctic exploration due to hunting for food and oil, populations have recovered since commercial sealing ended in the 1980s. Today, Weddell seals are protected under the Antarctic Treaty and the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (CCAS).

BIOGRAPHIES

ANNA MCMICHAEL

Anna McMichael is a violinist and an artistic researcher with a national and international performance career over the last 30 years. Anna is Classical Convenor and Head of Strings at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University in Melbourne. She lived in Europe for 17 years, performing with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the London Sinfonietta, and with ensembles including the ASKO/Schonberg Ensemble and Ensemble Modern. She has toured numerous major European festivals and given premieres by many leading international composers.

In Australia, Anna has performed regularly with Australian groups, including Australian Chamber Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera, Ensemble Offspring, Omega Ensemble, Australian World Orchestra, Australian Haydn Ensemble and Sydney Chamber Opera. She was Co-artistic Director of the Tyalgum Music Festival between 2014 and 2019, when APRA/AMC awarded it prizes for regional excellence.

Anna has a large solo, duo and ensemble discography on many international labels. She has recorded duo CDs for the Tall Poppies label and releases for the Dutch label, Unsounds.
https://www.annamcmichael.com

HELEN SVOBODA

Helen Svoboda is a Finnish/Australian award-winning double bassist, vocalist and composer. Her work explores the melodic potential of the double bass, weaving extended techniques, overtones and voice to explore themes of sonic unity within abstract song forms.

From 2018 to 2020, Helen lived and studied in the Netherlands and Germany, specialising in solo double bass composition. She is an active performer and collaborator locally and internationally. Her main projects include Headwater (Melbourne Fringe Festival, supported by Musica Viva Australia - 2025 Green Room Award Nominee for Outstanding Sound Work), The Odd River (30 minute visual album about genetically modified vegetables), MEATSHELL (with saxophonist Andrew Saragossi), I Should Be Doing Something (duo with choreographer/dancer Jo Lloyd) and Panghalina (experimental trio with drummers Maria Moles and Bonnie Stewart).

She has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Mindy Meng Wang, Daniel Wilfred & David Wilfred, Kutcha Edwards, Cory Smythe (NY), Sebastian Gramss (GER), Selma Savolainen (FIN), Kari Ikonen (FIN), Paul Grabowsky and Sunny Kim (KOR/AUS). Helen’s work is produced by Michaela Coventry (Sage Arts).
https://www.helensvoboda.com

CREDITS

This project is part of Anna McMichael’s Climate Futures Artist Fellowship at the State Library of Victoria, Australia. Thanks to Professor Steven Chown, Director, Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, Monash University, for introducing her to the sounds of the Weddell seal.

Field recordings kindly allowed with permission from Copyright 2017-2019, Paul A.Cziko, PhD.
Underwater Audio Recordings of Weddell seals in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica recorded by the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory.

Music by Anna McMichael, Helen Svoboda and Tilman Robinson and final work by Cat Hope.
Recorded by Pat Telfer at Monash University.
Produced and mixed by Tilman Robinson.
Mastered by Samuel Pankhurst.
Developed with generous support from Monash University and as part of a Climate Futures Artist Fellowship at the State Library of Victoria, Australia.
Cover image: Hurley, F., & Davis, J. K. (1930). [Seals and penguins] (from State Library of Victoria).
Design by Isabelle Vigier.