Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Brings Ancient Pakistani Instrument to Life

The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival is hosting Microtonal, an award-winning interactive sound and sculpture installation featuring 200 borindos, an ancient clay wind instrument from the desert of Sindh, Pakistan. The installation will be available on the University of Huddersfield campus during the festival in November.

The borindo was recently added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding list, which makes this whole thing even more significant. Only one craftsman, Allah Jurio, still knows how to make it. Only one musician, Faqir Zulfiquar, still knows how to play it. The fact that both men are part of this project is honestly remarkable.

Quick Facts

Microtonal features 200 borindos, a clay wind instrument from Sindh, Pakistan.
The borindo is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding list.
Yorkshire-based studio Invisible Flock collaborated with Allah Jurio and Faqir Zulfiquar to create the installation.
A free celebration event takes place at Bath House Gallery, Sovereign Design House on Wednesday 25 November, 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
Faqir Zulfiquar will perform live with composer Jan Hendrickse on Saturday 28 November at 3pm.

What Actually Happened

Yorkshire-based artist studio Invisible Flock joined in a unique collaboration with the two people arguably most essential to the borindo’s survival and built something together. The result is Microtonal, a sound installation and sculptural work that places 200 of these rarely-heard clay instruments in one space, available to see and hear on the University campus during the festival.

The collaboration is the kind of cross-cultural, preserve-before-it-is-too-late project that you want to see more of. Allah Jurio is described as the only remaining craftsman known to make the borindo. Faqir Zulfiquar is the only known musician who plays it. Invisible Flock brought them into the creative process rather than simply displaying the instruments behind glass.

As originally reported, the festival is also tying the installation into its wider programming. The opening celebration is part of hcmf// and the School of Arts and Humanities’ Cultures of Film programme, so there is genuine institutional weight behind the event.

Why It Matters

Sound art in public spaces does not often centre a living craft tradition as specific and endangered as this one. Microtonal places the borindo, an instrument that UNESCO itself has flagged as being in danger of disappearing, inside a British university setting where visitors can encounter it directly.

For Pakistani audiences especially, this is a moment worth paying attention to. An instrument rooted in the desert of Sindh is being preserved and amplified on an international stage through a genuine creative partnership with the people who carry that tradition.

The installation is described as interactive, and a dedicated workshop on Thursday 26 November at 3pm gives participants a hands-on chance to learn how to play the instrument from Faqir himself. That kind of direct transmission of knowledge is exactly what UNESCO’s safeguarding list is meant to encourage. Pakistan’s wider cultural heritage, much like Pakistan’s public infrastructure, is often larger and more significant than the world gives it credit for.

What Happens Next

There are three key dates to know if you are in or near Huddersfield this November. First, the free celebration event at Bath House Gallery, Sovereign Design House on Wednesday 25 November from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. You can meet some of the artists behind the work and hear the stories behind the installation. Free tickets are available via the Microtonal Celebration Event booking link.

Second, the borindo workshop runs on Thursday 26 November at 3pm. Faqir Zulfiquar will share his musical practice alongside the traditions, stories and songs connected to this ancient instrument. If you have ever wanted to learn something genuinely rare, this is the opportunity.

Third, Faqir will perform live alongside composer Jan Hendrickse on Saturday 28 November at 3pm. A live performance featuring the only known player of a UNESCO-listed instrument is the kind of thing you do not want to miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Microtonal installation at the University of Huddersfield?

Microtonal is an award-winning interactive sound and sculpture installation featuring 200 borindos, an ancient clay wind instrument from the desert of Sindh, Pakistan. It will be available on the University of Huddersfield campus during the November festival. The project is a unique collaboration between Invisible Flock, Allah Jurio, and Faqir Zulfiquar.

What is a borindo and where does it come from?

A borindo is an ancient clay wind instrument originating from the desert of Sindh, Pakistan. It has recently been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding list. Very few people still know how to make or play it, which is what makes the Microtonal project so urgent.

Who is Allah Jurio?

Allah Jurio is described as the only remaining craftsman known to make the borindo. He is one of two Pakistani artists who collaborated with Yorkshire-based studio Invisible Flock on the Microtonal installation. His participation is central to the preservation mission behind the project.

Who is Faqir Zulfiquar and will he perform live at the festival?

Faqir Zulfiquar is the only known musician who plays the borindo. He will perform live with composer Jan Hendrickse on Saturday 28 November at 3pm as part of the festival programme. He is also leading a workshop on Thursday 26 November at 3pm where participants can learn to play the instrument.

Is the Microtonal celebration event free to attend?

Yes, the celebration event at Bath House Gallery, Sovereign Design House on Wednesday 25 November from 4.30pm to 6.30pm is free. Visitors are encouraged to RSVP by booking a free ticket through the Microtonal Celebration Event link. The event offers a chance to meet the artists and learn more about the borindo’s history.

Who created the Microtonal sound installation?

The installation was created by Invisible Flock, a Yorkshire-based artist studio, in a unique collaboration with Allah Jurio and Faqir Zulfiquar. It represents a partnership aimed at preserving and sharing the traditions of a critically endangered Pakistani instrument. The project has already received awards for its work.

Why is the borindo on the UNESCO safeguarding list?

The borindo was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding list because it is at serious risk of disappearing. With only one known craftsman still making it and one known musician still playing it, the instrument’s survival depends on deliberate preservation efforts. Projects like Microtonal are a direct response to that urgency.

Final Thoughts

It is rare that a single installation manages to be both a compelling sound art experience and a genuine act of cultural preservation. Microtonal pulls it off. Whether you are in Huddersfield or simply following the story from Pakistan, this project is a reminder that some of the most important music in the world is also the most at risk of being lost forever. Keep an eye on this one.

Source: google.com

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