East Lothian’s young musicians will join world-class performers from RAF Music as part of an exclusive collaboration between the organisation and the council’s Instrumental Music Service.
It is essential we provide these opportunities to ensure that music remains an intrinsic part of life in East Lothian.
IMS Manager Jonathan Gawn previously served with the RAF and has maintained strong links with the body. He worked with the Band’s Director of Music, Flying Officer Mike Parsons, to develop a performance that would give pupils studying through the service an opportunity to participate in an online performance. Around 100 pupils will join with RAF Musicians to play ‘Lass of the Loch’ in an event that will premiere on the council’s Facebook channel at 7.30pm on Thursday 8 October. The piece was arranged for the project by the IMS’ talented woodwind and piano instructor Liz Woodsend.
IMS manager Jonathan Gawn said: “Current restrictions in schools mean musical ensembles cannot rehearse, the Instrumental Music Service has collaborated with RAF Music to give the young people a platform on which to perform once again. Instead of the Brunton, we will be on Facebook and YouTube but it is essential we provide these opportunities to ensure that music remains an intrinsic part of life in East Lothian. The feedback from the young people has been superb. We have just finished one of our online sessions and it was great to see the young musicians together again and I think we are all really excited now about Thursday evening.”
Director of Music, Flying Officer Mike Parsons, added: “It has been a pleasure to work with East Lothian Instrumental Music Service in preparing this joint performance. The RAF is proud to provide opportunities and support for young people at these challenging times, and sharing our musical knowledge and enthusiasm with these musicians has been a real privilege.”
East Lothian Instrumental Music Service currently employs 19 highly qualified Instrumental Instructors and provides Instrumental tuition to pupils in both primary and secondary schools across the authority. Pupils are offered the opportunity to learn brass, woodwind, strings, percussion, piano, guitar and pipes with experienced and inspiring Instructors. String tuition may start at Primary 4 and percussion at Secondary 1. All other tuition is offered from Primary 5 onwards.
The programme of learning moved online during lockdown with positive feedback from families as they sat in on lessons and were able to have an insight into the process. Most lessons have returned to being delivered in-school.
Find out more and receive reminders ahead of the performance at: facebook.com/eastlothiancouncil