The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
An electric life orchestra
An orchestral project which uses music to boost the confidence of children is about to be launched in the Douglas area of Dundee. Michael Alexander reports.
The life-changing possibilities of music are about to be felt by youngsters from one of Dundee’s most deprived areas after new research showed dramatic results from a similar project in Aberdeen.
The charity Sistema Scotland – established in 2008 and named after the Venezuelan El Sistema orchestra movement – is setting up its Big Noise orchestra programme in the Douglas area this autumn.
The idea is to give children confidence, discipline, teamwork skills and pride through music and playing.
There are already three similar projects in Raploch, Stirling, Govanhill in Glasgow and Torry in Aberdeen.
Big Noise Douglas will work with children from Claypotts Castle and St Pius primary schools to provide free instrumental music tuition, as well as an in-school orchestra programme.
A new study published yesterday outlined a range of benefits which children in Douglas might expect to gain from the scheme.
The independent research led by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH) into Big Noise Torry revealed the programme has improved participants’ ability to learn in school and their wellbeing generally.
School attendance rates were higher for the 500 youngsters from Torry’s Walker Road and Tullos primary schools than for those who did not take part. Teachers reported improvements in academic performance, as well as in listening, concentration, creativity, communications and co-operation.
And all of the children expressed feelings of happiness, enjoyment and pride in playing their instrument.
Sistema Scotland chief executive Nicola Killean said hopes were high for the Dundee launch in September.
“It’s fair to say all children would benefit from this type of programme but what we do is work in areas where there are certain needs – areas of regeneration and deprivation,” Nicola said.
Dundee City Council initially identified five potential areas for the scheme. Douglas was chosen because it had a strong identity and lots of families and young people who wanted to make it work. Nicola said enthusiasm for the project – funded publicly and privately – had been “incredible” over the years.
She added: “We’re now building a convincing body of evidence across all our Big Noise centres which clearly demonstrates children from the most disadvantaged communities can gain significant life-changing skills by learning to play an instrument and being part of the programme.
“We now have more than 2,000 children across Scotland participating in Big Noise.
“Our next step is to begin tracking school leavers who joined Big Noise 10 years ago to see where they’re moving on to.”
Dundee City Council children and families service convener Gregor Murray added: “This project will help in efforts to transform Douglas and support young people to maximise their potential.”
Children can gain lifechanging skills by playing an instrument