Young people from a community music and social change programme took part in a unique concert alongside the world-renowned Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).
A total of 35 young musicians from Big Noise Wester Hailes, all aged between 6 and 8, performed side-by-side with the RSNO at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on Friday.
The joint orchestra, led by world renowned conductor Thomas Søndergård, performed two pieces of music, ‘Mission Mars’ and ‘Saturn’, which were both written by Sistema Scotland’s Curriculum Leader Joëlle Broad.
The two space-themed pieces featured alongside the RSNO’s ‘La Mer’ programme, showcasing music by French composers that were inspired by nature and the sea.
The concert gave the young participants an opportunity to play alongside accomplished professional musicians as part of Scotland’s National Orchestra, while demonstrating their musical skill to friends and family.
Big Noise is a high-quality music education and social change programme, where the symphony orchestra becomes a community which supports children and young people to gain vital life skills such as confidence, resilience, creativity and aspiration.
Through music and nurturing relationships, from infancy to adulthood, Big Noise supports participants’ wellbeing and helps them reach their full potential.
The programme also strengthens the communities where it is based, develops relationships with participants and their families based on mutual respect, trust and a commitment to work together and tackle inequalities for the long term.
Big Noise Wester Hailes is delivered by the charity Sistema Scotland, which also runs similar programmes supporting around 3,500 children and young people in the communities of Raploch in Stirling, Govanhill in Glasgow, Torry in Aberdeen, and Douglas in Dundee.
The work of Big Noise is supported by a wide range of public and private funders, including the Scottish Government and players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Andy Stevenson, RSNO Director of Engagement, said:
“The young people from Big Noise Wester Hailes were fantastic at their first side-by-side performance with the RSNO last week, made even more special by their performance of works created by one of Sistema Scotland’s own musicians.
“We partner with Big Noise to create experiences just like this for young people across Scotland, hosting them on the stages of the nation’s most prestigious concert halls. It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate the great work of Sistema Scotland and support the musical learning of these fantastic young people in this way. We look forward to continuing to work together with Big Noise into the future.”
Stewart Wilson, Head of Centre at Big Noise Wester Hailes, said:
“The side-by-side concert with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra was an extremely exciting opportunity for all of our children and young people at Big Noise Wester Hailes.
“The past year has been fantastic for everyone involved with Big Noise Wester Hailes – not just for our musicians and the children and young people they work with every day, but also for their families and the community in Wester Hailes as a whole.
“As our programme grows and our young people become better and more confident young musicians, we’re delighted to see them to some of the biggest stages and play alongside some of the most accomplished musicians in the country.
“I’d like to thank the RSNO for inviting our young people to take part in this special concert, and for their longstanding partnership with Big Noise across Scotland.”
