Glossop songwriter Matt Hill has helped create a song cycle of lullabies as part of an exhibition that is touring venues across Derbyshire.

So far the Necklace of Stars exhibition has toured venues in Ashbourne, Derby, Ilkeston, Matlock, Buxton, Chesterfield and will be at Dronfield Hall Barn, from 26 June – 4 September.

The Necklace of Stars exhibition features a beautiful embroidered quilt alongside poems and lullabies which will be played out loud in the space at Dronfield Hall Barn.

The quilt, poems and songs were created throughout the pandemic by isolated older adults, with project artists Matt Hill, Philip Davenport and Lois Blackburn.

The lullabies were written and composed by participants of the project, following hours of phone call conversations. Participants’ voices were recorded down the phone line, and included in the music.

Songwriter Matt Hill said

"Lullabies are sung at those in-between moments when light turns to darkness.  It seemed apt that we explored them during an in-between time, such as a pandemic.

For me the work comes to life when we hear the voices of the participants – recorded down the phone.  The recorded voices can sound tinny, disembodied and disconnected.  But somehow that felt perfect for a project born from a time of disconnection and isolation."

Particpant Jenny said “I’m really grateful.  It’s taken me away from myself.  When I write I’m away from this pain and I can be anybody.”

Matt hopes visitors to the exhibition will sit down and listen to the songs "You will hear all those voices coming together through adversity.  Using this very disconnected process we bring connection and transport the listener to an in-between place, next door to the border of dreaming."

Following Dronfield Hall Barn, the exhibition will visit the following venues:

Melbourne Creative Gallery, 5 – 25 September (inclusive of Melbourne Festival, 16 & 17 September)

Level Centre, end of September (date tbc) – 5 January 2024

You can hear the Necklace of Stars Lullabies on Soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/user-534328722/sets/necklace-of-stars