Whether you have run the previous two races or not, you can still participate in this one, so limber up and join your fellow ringers and take on the 5 Meters Through Moria Challenge. This course will follow the fellowship of the ring’s dark and dangerous journey through the mines of Khazad-dûm. Once prosperous and echoing with song and the ringing of pick-axe, these dark caverns are now inhabited by orcs and cave trolls and something much, much worse. So be on your guard as you make your way to the final bridge and cross once more into daylight.
This Virtual 5k Race (3.1 miles) can be run or walked at any location you choose (please follow your town’s current rules). You can run, jog, walk in your neighborhood or your backyard, use a treadmill, climb the stairs in your home, or use an elliptical – whatever is most convenient and safe for you. 30 minutes of exercise can also count as 1 mile. Run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself – our 5k’s are on the honor system.
Before you start each race, download a RACE BIB here or from TheOneRing.net’s “The World and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien” Facebook page. Write your name or nickname and/or race time in the white box, then you can stop by our Facebook page and post a photo wearing your bib, or post in the comments below.
Once you have completed each race, let us know! Download your Finisher Certificate here and share another photo.
Also, check back next Friday for the fourth and final race. If you complete all four races, an additional special certificate can be yours! If you’re so inclined, reading the section in “The Fellowship of the Ring” that corresponds to this race might add a bit of color to your journey. Above all else, have fun. On your mark, get set, go!
If you weren’t able to join the first two races, don’t despair! Click on these links to earn your Shire Sprint and Racing to Rivendell bib and certificate. Complete all four races by May 29 and earn an extra crowning certificate.
Bibs and certificates designed by TORN staff member Mithril, aka Nancy Steinman.
Updated 11/3/17 – From time-to-time you, the fans, email TORn about events of interest to other fans of J.R.R. Tolkien and/or Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. As a service to our readers, we decided to created this new feature: a listing of upcoming events to keep everyone apprised of where they can hook-up and commiserate with other fans, learn a thing or two, or just plain enjoy the fandom that we’ve all come to know and love. From Howard Shore concerts in Paris, to fan get-togethers in Kentucky and South Carolina, to exhibitions in Staffordshire, U.K., it’s all listed here! The list will be updated periodically as past events drop off and future events are added. If you know of an upcoming event, please let us know either in the comments section of this story, or by emailing spymaster@theonering.net. – TORn, ‘Together in Tolkien’
Yes we’re all about Middle-earth here at TheOneRing.net – but we know that many of our fellow fans (and staffers!) are also big fans of a certain galaxy far, far away! So in honour of Star Wars Day, we thought you might like to know about some very exciting performances coming up at Lincoln Center:
In September and October this year, the New York Philharmonic will be presenting the World Premiere Star Wars Film Concert series. There will be nine concerts, led by acclaimed conductor David Newman: two screenings each of Episodes 4, 6 and 7, and three screenings (because it’s the best – discuss!) of Episode 5. The New York Philharmonic tell us:
Since the release of the first Star Wars movie nearly 40 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects, and iconic musical scores composed by Williams. Fans will be able to experience the scope and grandeur of these beloved Star Wars films in a live symphonic concert experience, as the Star Wars Film Concert Series premieres from September 15 through October 7 at David Geffen Hall in New York City. Legendary composer Williams is well known for scoring all seven of the Star Wars saga films, beginning with 1977’s A New Hope, for which he earned an Academy Award for Best Original Score. His scores for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens each were nominated for Oscars for Best Original Score.
Don’t miss this is your chance to watch A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens on the big screen, accompanied by live orchestra; those of us lucky enough to have seen The Lord of the Rings film concerts know how special such occasions are. Tickets are on sale to the general public TODAY – you can purchase them online here or by calling (212) 875-5656! Follow @NewYorkPhilharmonic on twitter.
Due to the holidays, we’ll be continuing our stories related to the 15-year anniversary of the release of FOTR into this week. No series about The Fellowship of the Ring would be complete without mentioning the amazing music of Howard Shore and some of the talented people who brought it to life.
From the minute the screen lit up to the end of the credits, Shore’s Oscar-winning score held us spellbound. As the music accompanied the action of the movie, unique themes for the cultures of Middle-earth, even The One Ring itself, wove themselves through the movie seamlessly. Haunting solos and full-voiced choirs added both poignancy and excitement to the film. If you’re like me, you literally wore out your first CD of the score! Fortunately, there were a number of opportunities to acquire other editions such as The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Complete Recordings.
Our friend, Doug Adams, recently confirmed via twitter that the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s program later this month, The Film Music of Howard Shore, will include the premiere of The Hobbit: Four MovementsRa. This has been long awaited by fans as a logical progression from Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony, released on CD in September 2011. No word yet on if and when it might be available on CD, but if you’re in or near the Pittsburgh area at the end of this month, the performances are scheduled for Friday, June 24 and Saturday, 25 at 8:00 p.m. with an afternoon concert scheduled for Sunday, June 26. In addition to music from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the performances will also include music from other Howard Shore scores such as The Aviator, Hugo and The Silence of the Lambs, and more. Get more information and purchase tickets here, on the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s website.
Update: thanks to Doug, we can now share the official press release for the event! Check it out below, and be sure to purchase your tickets soon if you’re lucky enough to be able to go. Also, don’t forget to send us your reports and pictures from the concert!
The Film Music of Howard Shore
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestraorld Premiere:
THE HOBBIT
FOUR MOVEMENTS FOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
with many more favorites from his outstanding career
June 24, 2016 – June 26, 2016 at Heinz Hall
Special Guest Howard Shore
Artists
Howard Shore, special guest
Ludwig Wicki, conductor
Jon Burlingame, interviewer
Lydia Kavina, Theremin
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concludes another spectacular Pops season with a one of a kind evening: an audience with the Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra celebrates the outstanding career and achievements of a true icon, with performances of his best known scores and live interviews, by acclaimed film music writer Jon Burlingame, with the composer from the stage. Audiences will thrill to the music from his legendary scores to The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the world premiere of music from The Hobbit with scores from his films: The Aviator, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Silence of the Lambs, Hugo and many more. This is an epic evening filled with amazing music and the composer’s own insights.
As you know, last week a select group of fans in London were treated to a screening of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition. Some pretty special guests were in attendance – we hope many of you were able to watch via the live stream!
The organisers behind the event have sent us along this report:
“On Saturday, 7th November 2015, a number of the world’s biggest and most passionate fans of TheHobbitfilm trilogy assembled in London for a very special screening event, where they were joined by a host of special guests, to celebrate the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Extended Edition on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital release, and to commemorate the one-year anniversary of last year’s incredible The Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest competition. The Warner Bros. Home Entertainment release is the final film in the globally popular The Hobbit Trilogy, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures.
Kyle Pedley of (A)musings Media, who was among the UK-based winners of the global fan competition, organised and hosted the event along with fellow members of The Hobbit Fan Fellowship, with help from Warner Bros. Pictures UK and Tourism New Zealand. International winners flew in from all over the globe – from as far afield as the United States, Mexico and Eastern Europe – to take part in an evening full of surprises and special appearances.
Guests were not only treated to an exclusive UK screening of the Extended Edition of The Hobbit Trilogy’s epic conclusion at Warner Bros. Pictures’ own private screening theatre ahead of its home entertainment release, but were also treated to surprises including a video message from director Sir Peter Jackson all the way from New Zealand, and a Q&A session with a panel of distinguished guests.
These included Royd Tolkien, great-grandson of author J.R.R. Tolkien and long-time advocate and supporter of the film adaptations (who made a cameo appearance in 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), and writer / broadcaster Brian Sibley, who has long been involved in the community celebrating the author’s legacy, having been jointly responsible for the acclaimed 1981 BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings and penning a number of official behind-the-scenes books and guides for both of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth trilogies. Finally, to the excitement and disbelief of fans – met with an uproarious standing ovation – came the surprise appearance of film, theatre and television icon Sir Ian McKellen, known and beloved around the world for his defining portrayal of the Wizard Gandalf in Jackson’s Middle-earth and the only principle cast member to appear in all six films across both celebrated film trilogies.
Other special guests in attendance included a contingent of Middle-earth ‘cosplayers’ – The Galactic Knights, who showcased some of their terrific Hobbit- and Rings-inspired costumes and replicas; Chairman of The Tolkien Society, Shaun Gunner; and Rachel Sprackett of Tourism New Zealand.
Kyle Pedley, The Hobbit Fan Fellowship member and host of the event, said:
“This was an incredible, unprecedented celebration of the impact both these films and also last year’s incredible competition have had on people from all corners of the globe. To have such a dedicated group of fans, who last year formed their own genuine fellowship over the course of a magical week in New Zealand, reunite for this special occasion was just an absolute joy to behold and be part of. To be joined by the likes of Royd Tolkien, Brian Sibley and Sir Ian McKellen, and have such a fantastic personal video message from Sir Peter Jackson over in New Zealand, was an absolute thrill and honour. The guests were not aware or expecting any of it, and their reactions to not only the surprises, but also getting to see one another again, were a moving reminder of how indelible and genuine the bonds of fellowship formed in New Zealand really were.”
The Hobbit Fan Fellowship Contest was an international search conducted in 2014 by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and Warner Bros. to find 75 of the world’s biggest Hobbit fans. Over 140,000 people registered for the competition, and over a two month period were required to complete a series of tasks and challenges, including testing their knowledge of New Zealand as the cinematic Middle-earth, designing a postcard for Peter Jackson, and also producing their own two-minute videos detailing their favourite memories of Middle-earth and demonstrating why they were the biggest fans of the franchise.
The winners and their +1s were then flown to New Zealand for an incredible, all-expenses paid trip which spanned both Islands and included visits to the actual filming locations from the movies, a special tour of the Hobbiton Set itself in Matamata, a special Maori Cultural welcome ceremony and Hangi Banquet, a visit to Weta Workshop where all of the creatures, costumes, weapons and special effects of the Middle Earth films were made, and finally a private screening of the final film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, in the company of Peter Jackson himself, over a month before its theatrical release.”
