String Ensemble put North Ayrshire on the map alongside Nicola Benedetti
Posted on 3 Oct 2023
As North Ayrshire Music service gets back into full swing or in this case string… following the summer break, the team responsible for honing the musical talent we have here in schools across North Ayrshire are taking the time to look back at the success of Senior musicians at following their Edinburgh International Music Festival Performance.
Taking place during the last few weeks of the summer break, North Ayrshire’s Nicola Benedetti successfully led the high-energy classical music festival with a 24-day programme packed with events from 2,500 exceptional and diverse artists, representing 50 nations.
North Ayrshire Senior Chamber String Ensemble were invited by the committee for the Edinburgh International Music Festival Director Nicola Benedetti, to be part of the opening weekend performances on the Ross Band Stand in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens.
Comprising senior musicians from North Ayrshire’s secondary schools, the ensemble is run and managed by the North Ayrshire Music Service.
The audience of parents, carers and fellow musicians were wowed at the opening of the festival when pupils performed as part of a huge celebration of youth and community music with many different groups from all over Scotland.
These included the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland, Drake Music Scotland, Musicians in Exile and the Tinderbox Collective amongst many others.
The NA Ensemble performed their solo 20-minute slot where the following pieces were performed:
- Andante Festivo – Sibelius
- My Love is like a Red Red Rose – Arr, S Adams
- Extract from ‘Scottish Rhapsody for Strings’ – Marie Dare
The sun shone for their performance to delighted audiences both in the Ross Band Stand Arena and as far up as Princes Street.
The finale saw all 350 musicians involved in the day’s performances combine forces on stage to perform the commissioned piece ‘Community over Chaos’. Led by Jack Nissan from the Tinderbox Collective, the final performance was met with a standing ovation in what was a glorious celebration of the diverse musical landscape which makes up youth and community music in Scotland.
Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People added: “We are so very proud of our talented young people who shone at this year’s festival.
“To be opening on an international stage and showcasing their talents, demonstrates just how far each of the ensemble members have come as they continue to inspire their peers and put North Ayrshire Music Service on the map. Thank you to everyone for giving it your absolute all. An excellent performance from an incredible group. Bravo!
“If you are a young person interested in learning something new, speak to your school to see how the North Ayrshire Music Service can nurture your musical journey – you never know, you could be in the spotlight too sooner than you think…”
Watch the festival video highlights on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NACmusicservice