“It was great seeing the kids on the stage and having the experience of playing in an orchestra like that"
Young people from a community music and social change programme have taken part in a unique concert alongside the world-renowned Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).
A total of 34 young musicians from Big Noise Douglas’s Emperor Penguin Orchestra, all aged between eight and 10, performed side-by-side with the RSNO at Dundee’s Caird Hall on Wednesday evening.
The joint orchestra, led by the RSNO’s music director Thomas Søndergård, performed Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman by Mozart, arranged by John Webber.
This gave the young participants an opportunity to play alongside accomplished professional musicians while demonstrating their musical skill to friends and family.
Big Noise is a high-quality music education and social change programme which launched in Raploch in 2008.
It sees children and young people learn music after school, creating a community symphony orchestra which supports children and young people to gain vital life skills such as confidence, resilience, creativity, and aspiration.
There are now six centres supporting almost 4,000 children and young people across Scotland, including Raploch and Fallin in Stirling, Govanhill in Glasgow, Douglas in Dundee, Torry in Aberdeen and Wester Hailes in Edinburgh.
Big Noise is designed to strengthen the communities where it is based, developing relationships with participants and their families based on mutual respect, trust and a commitment to work together and tackle inequalities for the long term.
Through music and nurturing relationships, from infancy to adulthood, Big Noise supports participants’ wellbeing and helps them reach their full potential.
A long-term evaluation of the model by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) was published in 2022. It found 98% of Big Noise participants in Raploch went on to a positive post-school destination.
Andy Thorn, head of centre at Big Noise Douglas, said: “We are incredibly proud of the outstanding performance by the young musicians of the Emperor Penguin Orchestra alongside the RSNO. This has been the culmination of months of hard work from our young people, and we’re all delighted to have seen them perform on one of Dundee's biggest stages.
“Witnessing the dedication and hard work of our young people come to fruition on such a prestigious stage fills us with immense pride and reinforces the profound impact of music in their lives.
“I’d like to thank the RSNO for its continuing partnership with Big Noise Douglas, and with the Big Noise programmes across Scotland, which have provided an incredible opportunity for our talented young musicians and the rest of the Douglas community.
“I'd also like to thank the parents and carers for all their support and to our partner schools. In particular, Claypotts Castle and St Pius primary schools, whose students performed on Wednesday.”
Andy Stevenson, RSNO director of engagement, added: “We love welcoming the young musicians of Big Noise Douglas to perform side-by-side with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Their joy is infectious, and their performance is always engaging for both our audiences and musicians alike.
“Offering experiences such as these to the Big Noise centres across the country, helping to nurture the confidence of their young people, is a privilege. The next generation of RSNO players is sure to be among their ranks and we can’t wait to follow the development of these exceptional young musicians.”
Rose Paton, whose eight-year-old daughter Millie was playing viola for Big Noise Douglas alongside the RSNO, said: “Millie said she was quite nervous before the performance, but the Big Noise staff were really reassuring and helped her get through the performance. She was sitting right at the front and seeing her up there actually brought a tear to my eye – because, looking back, she never would’ve been able to do something like that before Big Noise. Now she’s full of confidence and totally thriving.
“It was great seeing the kids on the stage and having the experience of playing in an orchestra like that.
“Millie has been playing with Big Noise since Primary 3 and since she’s been progressing it’s totally improved her mental health. She is always asking to go to Big Noise and go to the holiday clubs they put on.
“Big Noise has been great for the community here. Earlier in the year they got the whole community in for a Burns night, adults and kids, and we all got to see what Big Noise is about with singing and dancing. I also go to Baby Noise with my two-year-old, and it’s so good to see kids getting into music and getting involved, even from that age.”
