Sistema Scotland - helping young people make a Big Noise
“Our amazing staff musician team has been supported over the last year through the invaluable support from the Mary Janet King Fund. Thank you.”
Sistema Scotland has been supported by the Mary Janet King Fund since 2013, initially through small annual donations and then more recently, through annual project grants.
In April 2024 Sistema Scotland received £3,000 towards Big Noise Raploch. Big Noise is a transformational music education and social change programme, where the symphony orchestra becomes a community that supports children and young people to gain vital life skills such as confidence, resilience, teamwork, pride, creativity, and aspiration. Sistema Scotland targets specific communities which have historically faced social and economic barriers to music education. Through Big Noise, the organisation aims to tackle long-term inequalities and strengthen community cohesion.
Impact story: Big Noise Raploch
During the 2024 grant period, participants of Big Noise Raploch continued to engage with Sistema Scotland’s inspiring orchestral and social programme learning to play string, wind, brass and percussion instruments. Children and young people have continued to access consistent and high-quality musical learning opportunities, supporting them to develop their life skills, learning and wellbeing.
These sessions include Little Noise for babies/toddlers and their parents/carers, in-school sessions for nursery and primary school aged children, immersive after-school and holiday clubs focused on group orchestral learning, and regular performance opportunities. Children and young people have also taken part in a range of inspiring performance opportunities, supporting them to build their confidence and motivation to work hard. This has included an onstage collaboration with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at the Perth Concert Hall, with young musicians from the Raploch playing side-by-side with professionals in their regular performance, and celebratory winter concerts in December, giving young participants the valuable opportunity to share their achievements and generating a real sense of community pride.
Participants have said that events and learning opportunities are important to them opening new horizons with travel, making friends with peers from other communities, feeling part of a larger Big Noise family, and experiencing the excitement of playing in larger ensembles.
Before the concert today we got to stay in Aberdeen together for rehearsals and it was the first time we got to meet everyone in the orchestra. It’s honestly been a great experience coming here, I’ve met new people, made new friends, and even the travelling was really fun. Performing together today as an orchestra, with my parents coming to see us, just makes all the rehearsing worth it too.
Big Noise Raploch participant
You can read more about the impact of this project in a Third Force News article here:
Music changing lives through pioneering project
And you can read more about the project on their website here