Hundreds of children to join Nicola Benedetti on stage

Nicola Benedetti is to be joined by hundreds of young musicians in a series of Super Strings events. The 31-year-old Scottish violinist, who launched the initiative at the Aberdeen Arts Centre yesterday, will play alongside approximately 350 young violinists, viola players, cellists and double bassists from across Scotland. The events, which culminate on October 9 with a Festival of Strings Day at the Caird Hall, Dundee, will also feature children and teachers from the four Big Noise centres in Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen and Dundee playing in one-off string ensembles. The project marks the 10th birthday of the Sistema Big Noise project, which brings culture into deprived areas of Scotland.

‘By attending the sessions, children and young people will not only have fun and make new friends, but they will also learn to collaborate,’ Benedetti told the Aberdeen Evening Express. ‘I will be working to help improve their playing technique, freedom of expression and command of their instrument, so that each element combines individually and within an ensemble to create the fullest sound possible.’