Music can bring benefits

Sir, - Catriona Morison’s success as the first Scot and first Briton to win the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World award since its inception in 1983, has received virtually no recognition.

Five finalists and 25 participants from 400 applicants in 64 countries competed in what was considered the toughest competition ever. Dame Kiri te Kanawa is the event’s patron; the first was Dame Joan Sutherland.

This mirrors Jack McConnell’s faux pas when he initially ignored Nicola Benedetti’s triumph as BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2004.

Ironically, it also coinMick cides with evidence of the beneficial consequences of greater selfesteem, improved social attitudes, and progress in other subjects, among participating pupils in Big Noise classical music projects in otherwise deprived areas in Stirling’s Raploch, Glasgow’s Govanhill and Aberdeen’s Torry.

As you reported (June 20) a fourth is planned for Douglas in Dundee.

If John Swinney is serious about improving school standards generally and narrowing attainment gaps, he should finance such projects throughout Scotland.

Let’s hope Catriona emulates Nicola’s welldeserved fame.

“Catriona Morison’s success as the first Scot and first Briton to win BBC Cardiff Singer of the World since its inception in 1983, has received virtually no recognition