Children and young people from 50 Edinburgh schools attend Benedetti Foundation residency

The Benedetti Foundation helped by providing their expert tutorial team to lead a recent residency in the capital when more than 1,600 pupils and young string players took part.

At the beginning of the week the foundation delivered concert performances at nine primary schools, after which string players from P5 to P7 attended a play day in collaboration with The City of Edinburgh Council Instrumental Music Service.

Instrumentalists from P5 to P7 and S1 also took part in sessions followed by a concert performance for parents and carers. Some 400 young musicians made up the orchestra with 122 young people in the cello section alone.

During the three days 25 instructors from the Instrumental Music Service were involved alongside tutors from the Benedetti Foundation and an ambassadorial group from the Royal Conservatoire. Young musicians had the opportunity to practice and finesse two contrasting pieces of music – Bubble Pop and Enchanted Caroussel.

Cllr James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said: “The City of Edinburgh Councils School’s Instrumental Service is a jewel in the crown of our education service with over 5,000 children and young people across Edinburgh benefitting from weekly instrumental lessons. I am proud to be part of a city that invests in making it accessible for all children and young people to learn to play a musical instrument.

“It is incredible to hear that so many of our young musicians took part in what I’m sure was a fantastic day of music making, collaboration and performance. My thanks to our schools’ instrumental teachers and to the team at the Benedetti Foundation for organising a special day that I’m sure will be a formative memory for those learners who attended.”