HERD it here first: Giant musical sheep to arrive in Kirklees
Florence Lockheart
Monday, June 19, 2023
The Yorkshire-based HERD project will see 23 giant sheep sculptures pop up around the borough before arriving in Huddersfield for a finale performance with the local community on 16 July
The Yorkshire borough of Kirklees is set to come alive with music next month, with the arrival of ‘giant singing sheep’. From 11 to 16 July, 23 larger-than-life sculptures will appear across Kirklees, as part of the HERD project, each accompanied by an original soundscape created by local musicians.
The soundscapes, commissioned from local artists and including recordings from Kirklees school choirs, were mixed together by composer Orlando Gough along with sound designers Sebastian Frost and John Del’Nero. The project is part of Kirklees Year of Music and is produced by public art production company Artichoke.
Artichoke artistic director and CEO, Helen Marriage, said: ‘Orlando Gough has imagined an extraordinary sonic spectacle which traces the region’s diverse musical heritage through its rural and industrial evolution, one which was dominated the wool trade. HERD will magic into being 23 singing sheep, seven soundscapes, and five future songs for Kirklees. Thousands of local people and schoolchildren have been involved in the creation of this ground-breaking project as part of Kirklees Year of Music.’
The sculptures are intended to reflect the history of Kirklees, which is deeply rooted in the textile industry. The sculptures are designed and created by Huddersfield-based artist Dave Young. Ranging in size from 1–4 metres high, they are made from a variety of materials including textiles and willow as well as salvaged and recycled materials. Each sculpture is named after a character in ancient sheep-counting song, Yan Tan Tethera, which is derived from the Celtic Brythonic language.
Young worked with local collaborators, including a group of 900 schoolchildren, to bring the designs to life. Kindra, the sculpture created as part of the schools’ programme for HERD, will tour Kirklees schools during the week of the project. Starting in rural locations, the sculptures will move across the borough before arriving in St George’s Square, Huddersfield on 16 July for a finale event. You can track the herd's location throughout the week here.
HERD’s finale will see hundreds of performers from the Kirklees community including musicians and local schoolchildren premiere five specially commissioned ‘future songs’ for the borough. These have been composed by local musicians as well as by project composer Orlando Gough.
