Kirklees Year of Music 2023: Council leader Shabir Pandor on how music can build a 'better society'

And so it is that he recalls the story of the Pistols’ 1977 Christmas Day charity gig for the children of striking firefighters in Huddersfield, and talks about watching the BBC’s new documentary Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World.

Elsewhere, he talks of Robert Palmer, the 1980s rock star born in Batley, and Wallace Hartley, the Titanic’s bandleader who had lived in Huddersfield and Dewsbury, and touts the upcoming 34th Cleckheaton Folk Festival.

“I suppose what I'm doing is trying to demonstrate that we've got so much to offer in Kirklees,” says Coun Pandor. “And if we actually get the music to an even greater success, it will actually open doors for people to come into Kirklees, into Holmfirth, into Huddersfield, into Dewsbury, into Batley, into Cleckheaton.

“It's not just about people who live in Kirklees, it’s also about people who actually live beyond Kirklees. Our first priorities are to our residents, obviously.

“But if we can actually get them to discover what's on their doorstep, and then they can tell their friends and family, wider field, it gets everybody involved in all the different sorts of music and people start to learn from each other. And one of the outcomes from this is it will promote Kirklees not just at a regional level, not just at a national level, but also international level.”

He sees the programme as complementary to similar events happening around West Yorkshire - Leeds 2023, the Wakefield Year of Culture 2024 and Bradford City of Culture 2025.

“That promotes the region on the international stage, which is actually so powerful,” says Coun Pandor, who in addition to being council leader represents the Batley West ward for Labour.

Arts and culture are often an easy target see cuts when economic times get hard, believes Coun Pandor, who is also on the Culture, Tourism and Sport Board of the Local Government Association.

“When things get tough, especially with local government, stuff like culture, leisure, arts and all that are easy pickings, the low-hanging fruit and they get picked out first. But I’m of a different mindset,” he says.

“It's so important we understand how music, culture, entertainment, gigs, the fresh air, doing various events are so important because it's good for the mind, good for the soul. And it gets people out and it gives you a feeling of energy.”

He adds: “It's all about changing people's moods, getting them to feel more confident.”

Upcoming events associated with KYOM23 include a concert by Musica Holme Valley Wind Wizards and Big Band joining a community ‘Soul Choir' in aid of the Holmbridge Church Organ Fund on Saturday at St David's Church, Holmbridge from 2,30pm.

Then it is the start of Huddersfield Mrs Sunderland Festival, a performing arts showcase between February 5 and 25, and named after 19th century West Yorkshire soprano singer Susan Sunderland.

A lunchtime chamber concert by the Opera North String Quartet takes place at Dewsbury Town Hall on Wednesday, February 15.

The Yorkshire Brass Band Championships, meanwhile, will take place on the weekend of March 4 and 5 at Huddersfield Town Hall.

But they are just a few from the list and, throughout the year, KYOM23 will present a range of opportunities for people to participate in events.

There is a TOWNSOUNDS podcast series, which is all about Kirklees music festivals, made in association with community organisation Let’s Go Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, there will be projects to support health and wellbeing. For example, the Huddersfield-based arts and mental health charity Hoot – the health and wellbeing lead for KYOM23 – hopes to restart its Breathing Space musical sessions to benefit people living with dementia in spring.

KYOM23 will also present a week-long musical event called HERD, devised and directed by composer Orlando Gough, from July 11 to 16. The showcase will trace the cultural and industrial story of Kirklees, through its multicultural musical traditions.

In addition, there is a KYOM23’s Learning Programme, which will provide opportunities for pupils, teachers and communities to experience live performances, and to learn to sing and play an instrument.

Musicians, bands, venues, promoters and organisations can become part of the programme by creating an account on the Music In Kirklees website and posting events and activities.

The site also has a handy guide of the groups, people and places involved with the programme.

Coun Pandor says: “When you have different music from different parts of the world, you actually understand the people better because it reaches to the depths of your soul and (it’s) what makes people tick and that is so powerful. We need to actually make sure that we develop young people, and we create a future where young people do have hope and aspiration and also have a wider awareness of differences. It can all lead to a more equal, better society, a more aspirational society, a society that's got hope, a society that is creative.”

For more information, visit www.musicinkirklees.co.uk