Big Noise on the Big Stage ArtWorks Scotland

In June 2012,

Raploch in Stirling hosted a concert

marking the launch of the London 2012 Festival.

The Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra travelled from Venezuela

to play with Raploch's own orchestra, Big Noise.

Big Noise aims to transform the lives and aspirations of young people

through learning to play a musical instrument and becoming part of an orchestra.

My hope is that it just allows these children...

to have more confidence in themselves.

To give them courage that they can do what they want to do in their lives.

Before Big Noise, I had never heard of classical music.

It's brought a lot of music into Raploch.

We follow the young players of Big Noise from classroom to stage

to play side-by-side with one of the most famous orchestras in the world,

under the baton of star conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Playing to an audience of over 7,000 people, and live on television

for your first big concert can't be a bad start.

When Big Noise started in Raploch in 2008,

it had 35 children and six teachers.

SINGING

Then, only stringed instruments were taught.

Can you all go straight to position four on the A string?

SHE SINGS ALONG WITH VIOLIN

Excellent, well done. That was fantastic!

Now, there are over 450 children taking part each week.

It's perfectly calm. This is perfectly normal.

Calm is a relative term!

The scale of the project has grown massively

and is now overseen by a staff of 26,

whose main job is preparing the children to play together as an orchestra.

To start off with, we had to do a lot of work to get quite little done,

so we'd maybe try and have a rehearsal for 45 minutes

and rehearse for about five of those 45 minutes.

CHILD SHOUTS

I think the only thing is to threaten them with going home

and I think that needs to be, if you mess around like that

and you play those games, you go home.

It was really, um, quite hard work and pretty chaotic.

And...

now, our rehearsals are much more about the music.

-Good, and should the piece end "bam"?

-No.

I feel like, now,

there are so many different members of the community that know us,

that that's been a...

you know, a great sort of growth,

that we have embedded ourselves

properly in the community,

and give us the chance to keep working with the kids.

The majority of this work goes on after school,

up to four nights a week.

As the children start to arrive,

the Big Noise staff have to turn the three primary schools of Raploch Community Campus

into 16 different rehearsal spaces.

The whole team gets together at the beginning of the night

so that everybody knows what everybody else is going to do

to set up the room, because obviously this is transformed from a school

into a music project.

We're setting up for the brass band practice,

which is going to be the first big rehearsal inside here today.

In the beginning of Big Noise, it was only stringed instruments

that the children could choose to learn.

Some of the real characters do end up playing the cello

or the double bass, and I think that's true,

I don't think that's just a coincidence.

'I want to be the first actor'

with a cello on his back.

Sorry!

-The first violins bully the second violins and the violas.

-Yes.

-The first violins think they're the best.

-Correct, we are.

I think we're better than the violins.

-It goes a lot lower, it goes a lot lower and...

-Mine goes higher.

-Yeah, but mine goes lower.

-I don't care!

-Yeah, but mine goes lower!

-Let's arm wrestle it!

-OK!

Arm wrestle it! Three, two, one, go...

What's the range of the viola? As far as you can kick it!

Now, as the focus is on building orchestras,

they've employed specialist teachers for the other instruments.

One role that you see the back row of the woodwind doing quite a lot,

the bassoons and the clarinets,

is that we are really kind of the filling in the sandwich.

I've always noticed that orchestras tend to go in little camps.

It's just the dynamic of an orchestra,

I think there's a certain breed of player, in our assessment,

in recruitment times, we can almost see a brass player coming down the corridor

before they've had the chance to even play a tuba.

If you're thinking about characters the brass players would be

the ones climbing the walls and, er, running about daft.

They have to get the last word in.

Yeah, they're the loud ones that want attention all the time...

whereas the woodwind players are quite delicate

and the string players are quite delicate, as well.

So the brass are the hearty ones that always want attention.

Brass is very complicated, you see. It's not just like the percussion,

hit it and play the jingly bells.

A wise man once said to me it's all atmosphere and groove.

And I think even in an orchestral sense, to provide colour,

to provide rhythmic punctuation,

all of these things are the skills that a percussionist requires.

One of my students, after hearing the Simon Bolivar Orchestra,

he came in and said, "When are we doing Mambo?"

# Mambo! #

He was talking about the Mambo from West Side Story!

One day we'll do it,

one day soon we might even do an elementary version,

but it's great that the desire is there.

# Mambo! #

Big Noise in Raploch is part of a global network of music projects

called El Sistema, which started in Venezuela in 1975,

and has now been adopted in 32 countries, involving over

four million young people. Every player

in the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela

is a graduate of El Sistema,

including their conductor, Gustavo Dudamel.

El Sistema is a symbol of my country, of Venezuela.

It's a family, it's a very powerful family.

Powerful in the way of the energy,

in the beauty that it creates in the community.

So, that is El Sistema!

The main focus of the Big Noise team this year is to

get the children ready to play in the Big Concert,

where they'll perform a rondo by Purcell

and the Egmont Overture by Beethoven.

We have invited the Simon Bolivar Orchestra here

with their music director, Gustavo Dudamel,

to come and do the opening concert of the Olympiad here in Stirling.

'The rehearsals for those pieces are at quite an embryonic stage.

'In fact, we haven't really started the Beethoven.

'We've started the Purcell, but we've done

'a lot of preparatory work, so teaching the children the keys

'that they'll be playing in, doing finger patterns with the strings,

'different bowing patterns, so that when we actually begin

'work on Beethoven, for example, it won't be such a shock for them.

'They will pick it up pretty quickly.

'I hope it will completely change their lives.'

I hope it will be a lifelong experience

that they'll look back on.

I hope, for many, it will be a turning point.

Since Big Noise started in Raploch in 2008,

it's not just the scale of their work with the children that has increased,

it's also grown within the Raploch community.

Trying to get youngsters involved in music at an early age

is one of their big ambitions.

A wee bit faster this time.

Tap your knees and tap your knees...

Every Thursday morning, Baby Noise meets in a local community hall.

Baby Noise is the first part of Big Noise.

It's the best part, because all the wee ones come, and they are

adorable and they come for their little music classes.

It's also a bit of social inclusion, as well.

THEY CHEER

I really think it's brought a lot of people together.

It is more of a community now,

because before, you wouldn't be so much involved with each other.

As I say, you're meeting people that you didn't know

and you're all coming together more often.

# ..and away we go, away we go, away we go... #

She's my third daughter and all my girls are involved in the Big Noise.

My eldest plays the double bass and my middle child has it at nursery,

so she's just following suit with the rest of them.

It is a big part of our lives.

# ..sausages frying in the pan... #

It's all about the communication between the parent or carer

and the wee one. It's getting the confidence between them,

and hopefully they're going home and singing these songs at home, too.

# There were six fat sausages frying in the pan... #

It's taking it back to being a very close-knit community.

You're socialising with people that you would normally walk past

in the street, just because you don't have the time,

but these little events

get you together and get you talking and interacting with everyone.

The community campus is the main hub of Raploch life.

It houses the three primary schools whose children

take part in Big Noise...

..Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary,

Raploch Primary,

and Castleview, a nursery and primary school

for children with complex and profound needs.

We've got three of the classes from Castleview coming this morning.

There's four classes in the school,

and we've been working on different pieces of music

for different Olympic sports.

SHE SINGS

For the children who have the most difficulty in Castleview,

it is having the time to get the interaction from the children

and to find a way

to make the child part of the process,

and for it not to be done to the child.

One, two, three...splash!

Good! Would you hold this, Scott,

cos I've got a feeling he's going to want to play it all the time.

Everyone's got such individual...

you know, individual needs,

so we want to keep everybody happy.

I think one of the challenges that you saw

was having such a big number of participants,

making sure that everybody's involved.

OK? Timmy?

Start off soft, follow my directions.

We're going to go as fast as you can for a drum roll, OK?

BELL RINGS

Oh, thank you, Rachel! OK, Ryan...

Timmy is just the most amazing wee boy.

We always knew that he was a musically talented boy.

VIOLIN MUSIC

He plays the violin. He's 11 year old,

and he loves to play his instrument.

Timmy plays in the Red Orchestra,

so he's in the intermediate orchestra,

and he plays exactly the same music

as everybody else, but notated differently.

Show them to George.

Oh, I see.

It's a good thing for him.

It's a good role for him,

to show himself and to prove himself,

that he is a person that can go through the years and perform.

I think sometimes there can be issues round...

..perceptions that everything will change

just because Big Noise have been involved.

And we don't have any hard evidence at this point

to say that things have changed.

We absolutely know that the children

are having a fantastically high-quality experience,

and we hope that that is going to impact,

but in my view, it's too soon in the process

to say that this has actually led to change in society.

'Between the River Forth and the castle

'is one of Stirling's oldest neighbourhoods, the Raploch.

'Over the past 60 years,

'this has been a lively council estate

'with a tough reputation,

'but now they're tearing down the houses.

'The Raploch is going to be rebuilt...'

MUSIC: "Unfinished Sympathy" by Massive Attack

I'm Deaconess here at St Mark's,

and I've been here for four years.

My role is quite wide-ranging,

but amongst the things that I do is

that I try to create links

between the church here and the local community.

I read an article which suggested

that Big Noise was the saviour of the Raploch.

I don't believe that, but what I do believe is

that it has created a real sense of hope.

We have children in the Raploch who have many needs,

and for them to have hope that when they leave school,

there is something bigger and better out there for them,

that they can actually achieve far more than they dreamed

or that their parents had ever thought possible.

I think that's the real gift

that the Big Noise has brought to the Raploch.

When we were growing up, we didn't have anything like this.

We didn't have anything to do or anywhere to go or nothing.

I hope they just go further than that.

A lot of folk, a lot of kids

haven't got the choice or got this in their areas.

I just hope that they really do well, and you can't...

you can only wish, eh,

where they're going to land or what's going to happen.

We are very proud that our children will play in this event,

because they are Polish,

so there are just two Polish people who can play,

and it's incredible.

Since he took up Big Noise, his confidence has grown.

He's really took an aptitude to music,

and it's not affected his schoolwork in any way,

which is what we were worried about.

He actually goes onto the computer and watches orchestras and that,

and listens to all the different instruments,

to the point where we've got it tuned into the car now

so he can listen to classical music as well.

Brought a lot of music into Raploch.

Like, half the people didn't know what classical music was,

and now everyone does,

so it's brought a lot of excitement and music into Raploch.

-INTERVIEWER:

-And that's a good thing?

-A very good thing.

Big Noise doesn't only teach the children to play an instrument.

They also learn the discipline of playing in an orchestra,

which is a very different discipline from the classroom or home.

I think what these children learn is being well behaved, you know,

learning behaviour skills,

because they see the positive influences that has

on their colleagues, so it's not so selfish.

It's not about them,

"if I'm well behaved, that means I get this."

They know that, actually, if they're well behaved,

them and their friends will achieve something or get something.

For me, a lot of it's around confidence.

I think that you learn all sorts from performing on an instrument,

and to be able to stand up in front of all their peers,

they're in a huge group of first years,

and to just say, "Ah, course I know!"

They'll take that into every situation

in the rest of their lives.

More confident, happier adults, I guess.

Big Noise is there not just for the children of Raploch.

It's there for the whole community to take part in.

Every week, an adult orchestra, The Noise,

made up of first-time players, gathers at the school to rehearse

under the ever-watchful eyes of Veronica Urrego.

That's my favourite part of the job,

being at The Noise and be the responsible one for The Noise.

I call them my little chickens,

because I am feeling like a mother hen.

You are sounding like a Highland cow. Mrrr! Mrrr!

Veronica herself is a graduate of El Sistema in Venezuela.

I started Sistema when I was four years old,

and then I left because I left the country at 24,

so it's 20 years of Sistema living or life,

because Sistema is a way of life.

Oh, thank God we've got this film! LAUGHTER

Every night we laugh. It's brilliant.

Just at silly things, you know?

Veronica - "Oh, ai ai aiii!" You know, when it's really rubbish.

Or the cellos get it one night

and somebody else is getting it the next night.

'It's your turn tonight.'

I cannot be louder than you.

You have to be louder than me. No!

'I've been in the Raploch now for about 40 years.'

Big Noise has really done an awful lot of good to the Raploch

from my own point of view,

cos I used to just sit in this house 24/7.

Now, cos I'm in Big Noise,

I've also started on a couple of wee committees to do with old folk.

Where before, I'd never have thought that anybody would want to know

my opinion about anything.

I would think the kids are thinking,

"Well, maybe this'll help me to get famous when I'm big," you know?

There's Nicola Benedetti,

a very good example for the kids, you know?

As well as being an active member of the Sistema Scotland board,

Nicola Benedetti is the official Musical Big Sister to Big Noise.

AUDIENCE APPLAUDS

Despite a busy international touring schedule,

she frequently gives workshops

and one-to-one tuition to the children in Raploch.

Most of them are aware that I'm a violinist and they've seen me

playing on TV or they've come to a concert or something like that,

so I think seeing another young person that they know

is out there doing it professionally,

and somehow someone they can relate to,

I think, is hopefully a source of inspiration for them.

I would also say that the fact that I then come

and just sort of muck in with everyone

and then actually teach them,

and I'm speaking to them about bow holds and playing in tune,

I think it's a nice combination for them just to see

the mixture of me on the TV playing a concert

and me here just being their teacher, basically.

Yeah, it's good, but it can be even flatter, the first finger.

So even lower down.

I think you can do it even louder than that.

Did you hear that?

Did you? See, I didn't even think you could do that.

'My hope is that Sistema in Raploch...'

..allows these children to have more confidence in themselves,

to give them courage that they can do

what they want to do in their lives,

and it just gives them another cushion in order to say,

"OK, this is what I want to do. I'm going to go for it.

"I have the confidence to go for it, and I believe I can."

I think that's one of the things we're battling with

more than anything else in this country, in the UK,

is a lack of confidence and self-assurance in children.

Stop! One, two...three.

THEY PLAY TOGETHER

Good, excellent!

Instead of, like, sitting in a house

or going out in the streets,

you get to do something.

SHE PLAYS "ODE TO JOY"

The main work of Big Noise

goes on after school, up to four nights a week.

In addition to this, they also organise away days

and residential trips for the children to take part in.

Well, we're going to Dunoon. To...

-Castle Toward.

-..Castle Toward, aye.

With two months to go to the Big Concert,

the main purpose of this trip

is to introduce a piece by Beethoven to the young players,

who will sit side-by-side with the Simon Bolivar Orchestra in June.

We've got a long bus journey ahead in the rain,

and we're going to be there for three days, two nights,

playing loads of music, basically.

And having a really, really good time, I hope.

Hopefully getting outdoors a little bit. Depending on the weather.

We're going to be enjoying

a fantastic two nights and three days

away from home for the best.

-INTERVIEWER: And you'll be playing music as well?

-BOTH: Yes!

And doing activities which include gorge walking,

archery, and what else?

Er, high ropes, but we don't know which one we're going to do first.

It's just crazy. Just getting on with all the luggage

and then just getting up.

# Roll up, roll up for the magical mystery tour

# Step right this way

# Roll up

# Roll up for the mystery tour

# Roll up

# Roll up for the mystery tour

-# Roll up

-# That's an invitation

# Roll up for the mystery tour

-# Roll up

-# To make a reservation

# Roll up for the mystery tour... #

I'm looking forward to hearing the kids making some music together.

INTERVIEWER: Are you all starting to think

-about the concert in June yet?

-Nah. No' really.

-Aye!

-Are you looking forward to playing at it?

-ALL: Aye.

I've been practising.

Erm, I've been telling my family about it,

and they've been asking me.

They've been dying to come and everything.

# The magical mystery tour is dying to take you away

# Dying to take you away

# Take you today. #

Right, guys, don't run away.

Everybody, now listen really carefully,

because there's a lot of stuff to get through,

so I need you to listen carefully, and after I've spoken,

we're going to sort you out in your dormitories, OK?

A couple of wee things that we just need you to know

for the next couple of days.

The boys and girls thing. Right, this is...

I know that Bonita's already mentioned this,

but I'll mention it again,

and I'm going to take it a wee bit further, OK?

The girls at the very top of the house and the boys one floor up,

you DO NOT go into...

if you're a girl, you do NOT go into the boys' corridor.

If you're a boy, you do NOT go into the girls' corridor.

Guys, hear this.

If you do...listen!

If you do, I'll send you home. I mean it.

I've done it before, OK? And I'll have no hesitation.

I think, for most of us, as professional musicians,

the whole residential thing was an integral part

of our growing up and our training,

and how special it was for us.

So I think we all want the kids

to have that same experience of being away from home.

Obviously, we want to have a concentrated time of rehearsal,

but we want them to have a good time, we want them to bond,

we want to just solidify the sense of community and belonging.

With lunch over, it's time to get started.

Where is your thumb? Somebody turn round and show me

where your thumb should be when you're shifting.

In fact, shut your eyes. Shut your eyes, everybody.

THEY GRUMBLE Shut your eyes.

Turn your cello round. THEY GROAN

I want to see everybody's hand in position. Let me see your string.

No, Liam, turn it around. As if you were playing.

One and two and three and four and one and two and...

The brass and percussion sections

show it's not just the classics that they can turn their hand to.

THEY PLAY "POKER FACE" BY LADY GAGA

In the concert band,

we were playing Poker Face by Lady Gaga.

And I was really excited.

And it sounds just like the song,

but it doesn't have the words in it.

THEY PLAY "POKER FACE" BY LADY GAGA

The days at Castle Toward are long, with lots of practice,

focusing mostly on the new piece of music

to be rehearsed for the Big Concert,

Beethoven's Egmont Overture.

Come on, we're going to do literally... Annie!

I know this is hard, because it's new,

and you've had a really long day, and you've done very well.

We're going to do five minutes more on this.

THEY PLAY NOTES OVER AND OVER

Good!

Now, we sort of did that,

but I would like us now to add in the crescendo.

So I'm going to bring you up, OK?

I'm going to conduct it. Shhh!

And you're going to do the crescendo. Can we do it...

with a bit more of an excited sound?

Everyone turn around and look out the window,

and remember where you are. Just have a look.

Think, "Oh, my God! We're here! This is amazing!"

Can we play with that excitement that you have that we are away?

You're away from your parents! This is so much fun!

No, don't say that!

You're having fun! But let's play it with excitement. Ready?

We're going to do the crescendo this time, and I'm going to conduct it.

Just on that G. One...

-THEY SHUSH EACH OTHER HE WHISPERS

-One, two, and...

Ba-ba-ba-bee-ba-bow

Ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba

Two, three, one, two, three.

Basses! It's all yours, basses.

Listen to the basses!

Quiet, listen to the basses.

And one...

OK, shhh!

And we'll do that bit tomorrow.

Pretty good. Pretty good.

For a first stab...shhh!

That's a very good effort

at the end of a long day.

THEY SHOUT TO EACH OTHER

THEY PLAY TOGETHER

I think what I've experienced from the very beginning here is

a sense of....erm...

"I cannae dae it!"

A lot of the time.

And it's just this feeling of self-worth that I think,

probably, this project is giving them, little by little.

And every time we hit new repertoire,

it seems as if it was a game of rounders,

as if they're going back to first base each time.

HE SINGS ALONG AS THEY PLAY SLOWLY

Girls, that is absolutely night and day,

compared to yesterday.

'You can be spending,'

like we are here at Castle Toward,

a long time together.

We've got to be able to pace it properly,

so that we're giving them the new repertoire,

and then putting them back into

a bit of comfort zone for a little while.

And then back into it again, trying to learn as much as we can.

And not get too much of a burn-out with it all the time.

But it's not all wall-to-wall crotchets and quavers.

Outdoor adventure activities help the group bond as a team.

Well done!

THEY CHEER

Work in sets of threes.

And why that is, so you can help each other up,

support each other and work together.

THEY SQUEAL AND GIGGLE

OK, young man.

When you're ready. Off you go.

-THEY SQUEAL AND SHOUT

-Oh-ho! Look at that!

One, two, three.

On their last day at Castle Toward,

the sectional rehearsals start early,

working towards full orchestra rehearsals

of Beethoven's Egmont later in the day.

Very good. Second finger is very good. Good, good, good.

THEY PLAY TOGETHER

Good!

Good!

Good, keep going!

'It's quite good.'

It's good, but boring as well.

Because, like, when you play the same thing over and over again...

But then, when you get it,

it's really good.

Then when you can play it, it's good as well.

Right, does that feel easier?

One...shhh!

A key part of the preparation for the Big Concert

is for the children to give their full attention to the conductor.

FULL ORCHESTRA PLAYS

No, come off with me.

You MUST come off.

And you will only be able to come off, Erin,

if you're watching me.

FULL ORCHESTRA PLAYS

No sound before the beat.

FULL ORCHESTRA PLAYS

Good! OK, much better.

So whatever a conductor decides to do or indicate to you,

you must follow it.

We're meeting here for the pictures.

SHE RINGS BELL

Have a wee seat on the stairs and we'll get a picture of everybody.

Do either of you think you might try

and become professional musicians when you're older?

-Yes.

-Probably, yes.

I think really that depends if either I, like, get through

one of the most important tests and stuff, I'll maybe become a musician.

We'll just see what life brings us.

Ready? Three, seven, five...

-What are we saying?

-PUPIL SHOUTS

-What? "Egmont."

-"Egmont."

Right, we're going, team. Come on.

CHATTING

Go this way.

He's gross! SHE SHRIEKS

What have you liked about it most?

I like practising Purcell.

There you go, there's one. Yes! I want one of that.

Isla, I'm collecting shells.

Oh, I found a clam!

Aye, the kids have had a ball.

I think they were a bit unsettled the first day, it was so new to them, so alien to them,

and of course we took their phones away and all the electronic gizmos.

I think that at first they didn't know what to do, you know?

And the first night, you know, they were away from home.

But once all of that settled, they've worked incredibly hard,

they've really gelled, they've bonded.

All the outdoor stuff they did yesterday, the high wires, they loved that.

And they've made a lot of good music, as well.

And they don't want to go home, so that's always a good sign.

-The Purcell or the Egmont, what's your favourite?

-Purcell.

-Purcell, why is that your favourite?

-Because it has easier notes.

-Egmont.

-Egmont.

-Why is it your favourite?

-Because it's cool.

-It's funky.

-Funky!

It's now time for Big Noise to do their first full run-through

of Beethoven's Egmont Overture, which is much longer

and more complicated than anything they've played before.

This is the main piece they will play at the Big Concert,

so it has to be right.

Fantastic. Fantastic.

One of the most daunting tasks for the teachers is to prepare

the children of Big Noise for playing in the midst

of the 200-strong Simon Bolivar Orchestra at the Big Concert.

I've always believed that one of the most motivating things

for children who are learning a musical instrument is to be

involved in some kind of ensemble, to be IN a sound.

And, of course, they're going to be IN the sound

of one of the best orchestras in the world with one of the most

outstanding young conductors in the world,

so I don't think it gets much better than that.

With less than a month to go, there's a special weekend rehearsal

for the children chosen to play at the Big Concert

to try and give them some idea of what it's going to be like

playing side-by-side with a professional orchestra.

Big Noise have a buddy scheme with

the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and their players regularly

come to Raploch to take part in workshops or to perform for the children.

Guys, if you've not been in before,

what this is about is that the kids are playing Egmont with the Simon Bolivar Orchestra,

and we've written an arrangement that's kind of...

slightly simpler. You'll be playing your part,

they'll be playing probably some sort of skeletal version of your part.

Hopefully they'll be playing the skeletal version of their part,

and they're in the same place as you're playing your part.

However, can't guarantee that. So if you can just sort of...

..perhaps put a loving arm around them and just point to...

And again, I think it will probably freak them out to have somebody,

you know, making your sound, sitting next to them,

but that'll be fine, this is really what it's all about. Great.

I think you're in a cupboard somewhere.

But the hot weather has resulted in a poor turnout.

There's only... Well, the violin's going to be split,

cos there's only one first violin.

So they can just... I know, it's terrible.

I would normally never wish it to be raining, but...

I want to, you know, phone people up on a Saturday morning

and say, like, "Your child should be here," and it's glorious sunshine.

William! Yay!

Well done, you made it! Well done.

-Sorry.

-That's OK. Right, let's go and find your cello section.

OK, Mr Cummings, you have another client.

-Right, William. Well done.

-Sorry I'm late.

-No worries, come on in here.

Good. Right. Go and get Iain started.

Due to the low turnout in some of the sectional rehearsals,

the Raploch children are outnumbered by the BBC players,

but it's still useful practice to hear their parts played side-by-side

with the parts the Simon Bolivar Orchestra will play at the Big Concert.

I like my music more, and especially classical, cos I used to,

like, listen to BOB and all that, I still do,

but now I like classical music, like Egmont.

You've got to take your time, cos if you get something mixed up,

it's like you're losing your place in the world.

-What's your favourite to play?

-It has to be the Egmont.

It is the longest one, but it's the one that everyone just, you have

your feet dancing to it, and you're just, like, all excited with it.

That was a good long section. Fantastic.

I think they got a great thrill out of playing,

and I think we did something to, you know, deal with the surprise element,

cos I think they're probably in for the shock of their lives

when they hear, you know, what it's going to sound like.

So I think that was part of what today was about, as well.

And are you confident for the Big Concert?

Erm...

Erm, I think we've done as well...

I don't think we could have done any better, put it that way.

I think it's a huge challenge. The kids have climbed an enormous hill.

In a sense there is very little you can do to prepare anybody for that sort of experience.

So, yeah, I'm confident, I think we've worked incredibly hard,

I think they've worked incredibly hard,

I think they've exceeded all our expectations, in many ways.

But, there's always the great unknown.

After months of planning, as the derelict site of the old Raploch primary school

is transformed into an open-air theatre,

the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela arrive in Raploch.

As the hundreds of instruments start to arrive at the campus,

the main gym is turned into an orchestral rehearsal space.

And the children of Big Noise get to meet their Venezuelan visitors for the first time.

-Favourite player is Didier Drogba.

-Yeah, he's a monster!

Yeah!

RHYTHMIC CLAPPING

My goodness, I can't believe it! I'm so excited.

I don't think I've been this excited since I was about five

and it was Christmas Day.

I just cannot believe they're here. So, it's fantastic.

A real buzz about the place.

So many different people, different personalities,

and lots of smiling and laughing going on.

We are welcoming all these hysterical Venezuelans

who are full of energy, and they're louder than our children,

and we're having a good time.

RHYTHMIC CLAPPING

-Uno, dos, tres.

-Argh!

For six hours, so every day,

Monday to Monday, they practise for six hours, non-stop.

Probably, yeah, they go to the loo or have a glass of water or...

During lunch, the children get a chance to meet Gustavo Dudamel.

Then it's back to work to prepare for their first rehearsal with him

of the Rondeau from Abdelazar by Purcell.

Get ready!

ORCHESTRA PLAYS

This is the first time Gustavo has heard Big Noise play.

APPLAUSE

There's a lot of pressure on this rehearsal to go well,

as this Purcell piece will not only start the Big Concert,

but will be played solely by the young musicians of Big Noise.

Ready for the party?

ALL: Yes!

Back at the campus gym,

the Simon Bolivar Orchestra are waiting for the first rehearsal with Big Noise,

but not before some orchestral scores are settled.

Like that. OK?

APPLAUSE

We will do Egmont now. Let's go. OK? Bravi! Beautiful!

APPLAUSE

I thought it was great. I thought the kids rose to it.

I thought he was terrific with them.

He was just very gentle, very encouraging.

We did all the browbeating, as it were,

and he just teased it out of them.

It was lovely, absolutely lovely.

After months of rehearsal and preparation,

it's finally time for Big Noise to sit side-by-side

with one of the most famous orchestras in the world.

ORCHESTRA STARTS UP

To stand in front of this group of children is for hope.

Hope is again beauty. Hope is energy.

Hope is love, so it's a gift of life so...

APPLAUSE

I feel really excited more and more because I know how it's going

to sound and I can't wait until it's the actual night.

It's finally the big day and in true Scottish fashion,

the weather breaks.

As the audience and players arrive, the nerves start to show backstage.

-You all ready?

-Yes.

-Hiya!

-Really help us! Really help us!

-How are you feeling?

-Ohh...

-Hi.

-How are you?

-I'm good. How are you? How's it going?

-Good. Thank you.

I need the toilet!

You'll have the chance to go to the toilet.

I'm feeling a wee bit nervous but I'm sure it's all going on be great.

I'll feel better after the concert.

THEY TUNE UP

What are you most looking forward to, Lewis?

Just playing the pieces, like Egmont.

I'm really excited. I'm glad the weather's started to clear up a bit.

Should be a good night. I'm looking forward to it.

THEY TUNE UP

They're going to be great.

It's going to be great.

Hi, everyone. I'm Bayley.

I'm nine years old and I love playing the double bass.

Gustavo Dudamel's going to give you a row if you do that.

He better no'!

As the rain pelts down, last-minute tunings and preparations

go on backstage as Big Noise await their call to take to the stage.

WHISTLING

Stop! I'm trying to tune. I can't hear myself.

With an audience of 7,000 waiting, the stage is set

and Big Noise get their call.

It's time to get on stage.

We're on the way, mate. Cheers. You're on.

OK. Let's go, guys.

But the journey for one young cellist doesn't exactly go to plan.

Here we come. Come on, Willie. Hurry up.

Oh, no!

It looks like Big Noise will be one cello down on stage,

until one of the Sistema family comes to his rescue.

This man has very kindly offered to lend Glenn his cello

for the first piece.

CHEERING

To open the London 2012 Festival,

would you please give a hand for the children of Big Noise Raploch

together with their patron and conductor, Gustavo Dudamel.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

When I'm conducting a professional orchestra,

I'm always telling them we have to remember why we are musicians,

how the music got us to be in love with this.

'As an orchestra,

'I think it's one of the most beautiful examples of community,'

because, you know,

many ideas, different personalities,

you create harmony.

You change through the time that you are rehearsing a piece.

You get an idea together and that is beautiful.

I think it's one of the most beautiful examples.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

With the Purcell piece over, it's now time for some of the young players

to leave the stage and make way for the Simon Bolivar Orchestra

to sit side-by-side with the remaining Big Noise children

to play the Egmont Overture by Beethoven.

-How was that?

-That was brilliant!

-How was that, Timmy?

-It was great fun. I did great!

Oh, remember. Thanks for helping.

And I wanted to thank you for the Big Noise.

Oh, that was just brilliant. I thought they did so well. Francis!

-Sorry.

-Do you think my bum looks fat in this? Don't you...!

Oh, my God. You must be happy.

John, I'll kill you if you put this on camera.

Well done. You were brilliant. You were absolutely brilliant.

Sorry, I'm so proud. I'm beyond proud.

I'm just trying to swallow my tears.

For the whole day, that's all I've been trying to do.

They've been brilliant.

After months of preparation,

this is the moment these young players have been waiting for,

as they sit side-by-side

with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela.

For them, it will be a miracle for their life

to see the support of their community...

..how proud they are of them.

For us, it will be a gift

because it's an example to see these children dreaming and playing.

Playing and giving all their soul for the music, they are showing

it's possible to develop and change their life through music.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

They're not going to forget that one, are they? It was just amazing!

-A bit shaky.

-Was that good fun?

-Aye.

-Aye.

It was very scary, but you have to learn to get over it

and get the work done.

So...see you later.

It was nerve-racking.

It was a big, big chance and I just took it and made it shine.

Yeah, this is the best day of my life.

CHEERING

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd