Summer programme for Kirklees Year of Music 2023 announced

The vibrant and diverse calendar, which runs from May to August, includes Let’s Sing!’, where schools from across Kirklees will be brought together to perform ‘Into the Light’ – the song for Kirklees Year of Music; a spectacular public art event HERD; free Bands in the Park concerts; ‘From Pub to Pulpit’ a rousing musical experience for the 150th anniversary celebrations of composer Ralph Vaughan Williams; and the world’s greatest classical music festival comes to Dewsbury with a very special BBC Prom.

KYOM23 is the first-ever year of culture told through music and the year-long programme has already seen successful events such as the Platform artist showcase, launching the careers of local musicians on a global scale, and the Music Changes Lives conference, which kicked off the year with a Keynote Speech from YolanDa Brown OBE in January.

KYOM23 aims to celebrate the area's musical identity and support music-making, festivals and events from across the towns and villages of the district. It includes multiple strands of programming including learning, health and wellbeing, opportunities for young people and music industry support.

Colin Parr, strategic director environment and climate change at Kirklees Council, said:

“Moving into the summer months, we hope to welcome even more people to Kirklees to experience the music and culture of the district.

"We are thrilled that we’ll be able to bring free music concerts to our beautiful parks and green spaces. We are also particularly delighted to welcome HERD, which will tell the musical story of Kirklees through an audio-visual spectacle.”

One of the main summer highlights in North Kirklees includes the BBC Proms at Dewsbury with former BBC Young Musician of the Year Laura van der Heijden and pianist Jâms Coleman presenting a programme of 20th and 21st-century music for cello and piano at Dewsbury Town Hall on Sunday, August 6.

On Friday, July 7, the same venue will host Tongue Fu, one of the UK’s leading spoken word and music events where poets, writers and storytellers take to the stage amplified by the quick-witted improvisers of the Tongue Fu band.

For more information on all the summer events, visit: https://www.musicinkirklees.co.uk/