:01:20. > :01:31.and ?120million of investment. And it has a secret weapon... Music.
:01:32. > :01:39.Almost every child in this community has learned to play an instrument. I
:01:40. > :01:42.think it's probably changed a lot of people's opinions about the area,
:01:43. > :01:49.cos they think it's this big, rough place to stay and it's not really.
:01:50. > :01:53.It's a really close community. Five and a half years ago Raploch set out
:01:54. > :01:57.to launch its own orchestra, made up of children from the neighbourhood.
:01:58. > :02:02.It was called Big Noise and it was a big undertaking. The first time
:02:03. > :02:09.anything like this had been tried in the UK. No-one knew if it would
:02:10. > :02:13.work! When we started with about 35 children were involved with Big
:02:14. > :02:16.Noise, now we've got 450 children involved every week and Raploch's a
:02:17. > :02:20.small community, so that means that in some ways everybody in the
:02:21. > :02:23.community is almost connected. They've got grandchildren in the
:02:24. > :02:24.orchestra or they've got a neighbour in the orchestra, so it's a very
:02:25. > :02:33.musical community. Raploch's musical transformation
:02:34. > :02:41.owes much to Venezuela, home to El Sistema, a network of more than 150
:02:42. > :02:45.youth orchestras. Big Noise was based upon this system. Two years
:02:46. > :02:50.ago El Sistema's flagship, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra performed in
:02:51. > :03:09.Stirling. And they invited the local children to come to Caracas. This
:03:10. > :03:16.afternoon we had a board meeting with the great maestro Abreu himself
:03:17. > :03:20.and... He started this whole business. ..who started this whole
:03:21. > :03:23.business in Venezuela 37 years ago. And we wondered about bringing our
:03:24. > :03:45.children to Venezuela, he said, "Get the diaries out!"
:03:46. > :03:50.CHEERING A generous invitation but who would imagine that a community
:03:51. > :03:54.like Raploch could afford to send its orchestra halfway around the
:03:55. > :03:58.world? The Venezuelans have absorbed a lot of the cost for us, so it was
:03:59. > :04:01.a wonderful partnership gesture and offer. They're covering all of the
:04:02. > :04:05.costs for the hotels when we're there, all of the transport, all of
:04:06. > :04:09.our food when we're there. So, they asked to get the us to get the
:04:10. > :04:13.children to Caracas. In terms of the planning round about it, I think,
:04:14. > :04:17.for me, one of the things about Big Noise that we always tell the
:04:18. > :04:21.children is that, you know, really anything is possible! So, if you set
:04:22. > :04:25.your mind to it and you work really hard, you know, the world is open to
:04:26. > :04:29.you. So, I think the Big Trip really sums it up for us. Five and half
:04:30. > :04:31.years ago, maybe we would never have thought we'd be doing this and look
:04:32. > :04:42.what's possible now! Soon, these children will travel
:04:43. > :04:47.5,000 miles to Venezuela. We've been given the chance to follow them on
:04:48. > :04:50.this trip of a lifetime. Once there, they'll have just four days to
:04:51. > :04:58.prepare for a concert, where they'll perform with El Sistema. That's not
:04:59. > :05:02.long! Guys, I really do need you to listen, we've got half an hour to
:05:03. > :05:13.rehearse three pieces. Lewis has only been playing the oboe for three
:05:14. > :05:16.years. Trumpets, ba-ba-ba. But already he's good enough to win a
:05:17. > :05:20.place in the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, as well as on
:05:21. > :05:24.the Big Trip. When I heard they were thinking about it, I was like,
:05:25. > :05:28."It'll be quite good." And then I found out that it was happening and
:05:29. > :05:31.I was invited and I was like, "Yes!" Only 52 members of the Big Noise
:05:32. > :05:47.Orchestra can go. Percussionist Charlie had an anxious wait. We
:05:48. > :05:50.found out in August, I would say, that we going to definitely go but
:05:51. > :05:54.we didn't know who was going, that was the thing. So, we were all being
:05:55. > :06:01.behaving and stuff like that... So we are to this day...yeah. Samira
:06:02. > :06:04.plays the flute. Like many of the children, this is her first foreign
:06:05. > :06:12.trip. Where's the furthest you've been before now? Erm...probably
:06:13. > :06:16.Blackpool. Blackpool? And she's not alone. She's one of four children
:06:17. > :06:24.from this family, as well as cousin Amy-Lee who are off to Caracas.
:06:25. > :06:37.That goes here and that goes there. Well done! At 11, Alexandra is one
:06:38. > :06:44.of the youngest musicians going on the Big Trip. But she has a big
:06:45. > :06:50.issue to overcome! I've never been on a plane before. And it's just the
:06:51. > :06:53.flying part that's creeping me out. And her dad has come up with the
:06:54. > :06:59.novel solution for her fear of flying. She says at first that the
:07:00. > :07:03.plane was going to frighten her because it leaned, it banked. So, we
:07:04. > :07:05.says, "Right, well Daddy does more banking "on the motorbike on the
:07:06. > :07:17.than what you do on the aeroplane. For a couple of weeks, Ivan's been
:07:18. > :07:27.taking Alex around Stirling on his motorbike. It's helped with the
:07:28. > :07:32.banking part, the going over to the side, so I'm really not going to be
:07:33. > :07:35.nervous. It's going to be a huge challenge for Big Noise. As a
:07:36. > :07:40.journalist, I've been following them right from the start and watching
:07:41. > :07:45.them grow as musicians. They've improved dramatically! But the
:07:46. > :07:49.children they've been matched with in Venezuela are used to a much
:07:50. > :07:58.tougher music regime. They rehearse 20 hours a week, Big Noise less than
:07:59. > :08:03.half that. They're going to have to work really hard to reach that level
:08:04. > :08:07.in a matter of days. Well done, everybody. The next time they play
:08:08. > :08:28.together will be in Venezuela! The capital of Venezuela is home to
:08:29. > :08:31.around three million people. It's also the birthplace of Simon
:08:32. > :08:33.Bolivar, revered as the man who helped much of South America gain
:08:34. > :08:53.its independence from Spain. But it's been a troubled
:08:54. > :08:56.independence for Venezuela, whilst oil has made the country rich, it's
:08:57. > :09:03.still a place of enormous inequalities.
:09:04. > :09:08.Most of those who live in Caracas, live in the barrios, the shanty
:09:09. > :09:16.towns which cover the mountain sides. These are notorious for crime
:09:17. > :09:19.and no-go area for visitors. It's from here that most of Venezuela's
:09:20. > :09:34.orchestras are drawn. El Sistema, The System, was created in 1975.
:09:35. > :09:45.Driven by a belief in the transformational power of music. An
:09:46. > :09:47.estimated two million children have come through the system, most
:09:48. > :09:53.famously the conductor, Gustavo Dudamel.
:09:54. > :09:59.Key to the programme is its intensity, children start young and
:10:00. > :10:03.practise often. Big Noise will be working with Montalban Children's
:10:04. > :10:09.Orchestra. They rehearse after school for four hours every day. I
:10:10. > :10:12.know you're exhausted, we don't have a lot of time. The Scottish
:10:13. > :10:19.children, by contrast, rehearse for just two hours, three times a week.
:10:20. > :10:23.If you need help with tuning, put your hand up. Right, guys, Alex...it
:10:24. > :10:32.just gets quite wearing if I have to shout and then it sounds unpleasant,
:10:33. > :10:41.which is not great...OK? There's a noticeable difference between them.
:10:42. > :10:44.If they're going to succeed in staging a concert together in just
:10:45. > :10:47.three days' time, they're going to have to raise their game. Violas and
:10:48. > :10:49.seconds, from the beginning. Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam,
:10:50. > :10:56.bam-bam-bam-bam-bam, Really at the heel, OK? Big Trip it may be,
:10:57. > :11:15.holiday it's not. Day after day they make the trip
:11:16. > :11:19.from the hotel to the community centre, where they'll rehearse.
:11:20. > :11:23.Passing along the way the cities sprawling barrios. This is Petare,
:11:24. > :11:32.which is not only the largest barrio in Caracas, it's the largest in
:11:33. > :11:35.Latin America. It's home to almost a million people and many of them are
:11:36. > :11:39.children, who are in El Sistema, which is why all the events this
:11:40. > :11:43.week have been deliberately designed to end early, to allow them to get
:11:44. > :11:46.back to their homes before it gets dark. In fact, very few people
:11:47. > :11:49.anywhere in Caracas venture out after dark. Venezuela boasts a
:11:50. > :11:59.dubious title of murder capital of South America. And just days before
:12:00. > :12:02.Big Noise visit, a reminder hits headlines across the globe. Monica
:12:03. > :12:05.Spear had been on vacation with her five-year-old daughter and British
:12:06. > :12:08.ex-husband. Police say they were attacked by armed men after their
:12:09. > :12:11.car broke down on Monday night near the country's main port. The actress
:12:12. > :12:15.and her ex-husband, Thomas Berry, were shot and killed and their
:12:16. > :12:25.daughter survived but had also been shot.
:12:26. > :12:30.It's hard to see how music can change a culture where violence and
:12:31. > :12:42.fear are so much part of everyday life. But those who run El Sistema
:12:43. > :12:45.believe it does make a difference. Because sometimes you go to a poor
:12:46. > :12:49.neighbourhood, not only Venezuela, in many countries and they don't
:12:50. > :12:53.have opportunities to anything. The only thing they see in the streets
:12:54. > :12:56.is the problems, they don't see good things because they don't have the
:12:57. > :13:00.possibilities to go and to be included in that but here they have,
:13:01. > :13:04.they see a family, they see a real strong possibility to be a different
:13:05. > :13:08.person and in that moment the change is happening and this kid or this
:13:09. > :13:12.young, youth guy is going into a different way to see the life. So,
:13:13. > :13:39.that's why the programme is a social development programme.
:13:40. > :13:44.Excellent, well done! It sounds so much better.
:13:45. > :13:46.I'm going to meet a musician who was there at the beginning
:13:47. > :13:56.Rosana was one of a handful of teenagers who just wanted to
:13:57. > :14:12.So, I never thought it was going to be as big as it is now.
:14:13. > :14:15.Rosana went on to become a professional musician
:14:16. > :14:18.but she says that's not the point of El Sistema.
:14:19. > :14:21.Although probably most of them won't be
:14:22. > :14:25.musicians in the future, they'll be better people in whatever they do in
:14:26. > :14:32.the future because music makes you sensible, makes you a perfectionist.
:14:33. > :14:37.that Rosana has a religious like belief in the transformational
:14:38. > :14:42.power of El Sistema and for many Venezuelans the proof
:14:43. > :14:51.is that these orchestras have made this country famous for music.
:14:52. > :14:56.Big Noise are getting a well earned break from rehearsing today.
:14:57. > :15:02.The Big Trip heads off on a slightly smaller trip.
:15:03. > :15:07.The Caracas aerial tramway was built in the 1950s to take visiting heads
:15:08. > :15:12.of state to Hotel Humboldt, at one time the swankiest venue in town.
:15:13. > :15:20.7,000 feet up, it's a big draw for tourists and locals alike.
:15:21. > :15:26.But no-one comes here for the hotel anymore, nor the views today.
:15:27. > :15:30.For the children, it's a chance to take a breath after almost
:15:31. > :15:37.Intense, I would say, it's hard to do six hours of rehearsals,
:15:38. > :15:43.And Big Noise have been creating a big stir!
:15:44. > :15:46.There was a guy in reception and he said, "Where are you from?"
:15:47. > :15:49.And I said, "Scotland". He was like, "What group are you?"
:15:50. > :15:56.The hotel's been very nice and the rooms are really good.
:15:57. > :16:34.Big Noise are really starting to get a flavour of Venezuelan culture.
:16:35. > :16:38.A new country brings a chance to try new food.
:16:39. > :16:59.And there's a chance to assess the Big Trip so far.
:17:00. > :17:01.When we got here it was quite an eye-opener,
:17:02. > :17:05.it was quite scary but at the same time it was really exciting,
:17:06. > :17:07.cos you were really mixed with emotion.
:17:08. > :17:10.But then when we got to the point when you got to the hotel,
:17:11. > :17:14.you were like, "Actually, I'm actually here! I totally made it.
:17:15. > :17:23.And getting to know the Venezuelan musicians has also been fun,
:17:24. > :17:28.They can understand a wee bit of English
:17:29. > :17:31.and we can only understand the key words in Spanish.
:17:32. > :17:33.So, you can make out what they were saying.
:17:34. > :17:37.and all the people are really welcoming.
:17:38. > :17:39.I've never had such a welcome in my life.
:17:40. > :17:51.it was like cramped in to what we usually are,
:17:52. > :17:59.cos we're normally spaced out but we were all cramped in, so...
:18:00. > :18:13.she kept hitting me in the face with her bow.
:18:14. > :18:26.and everything rests on their performance.
:18:27. > :18:37.Back on the bus to the practice room.
:18:38. > :18:42.Musical Director Francis Cummings is still not convinced they're ready.
:18:43. > :18:52.After five days together, many friendships have been formed.
:18:53. > :18:58.Everyone's excited but with only hours to go, the pressure's on.
:18:59. > :19:01.I'm feeling quite nervous but thankful that I'm here,
:19:02. > :19:07.cos this wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for Big Noise.
:19:08. > :20:36.Rehearsals over, friendships are cemented and souvenirs swapped.
:20:37. > :20:47.The next time they meet will be for the big concert.
:20:48. > :21:09.A rare moment of relaxation, before it's time to get ready.
:21:10. > :21:14.Finally, it's show time and one of Caracas' best venues,
:21:15. > :21:20.This is where all the top orchestras play,
:21:21. > :21:25.including El Sistema's flagship, the Bolivars.
:21:26. > :21:30.and an audience that's used to hearing the very best!
:21:31. > :22:10.are on stage, the moment of truth has arrived.
:22:11. > :22:21.but the Scots are determined to steal show!
:22:22. > :23:34.the concert ends on a Latin high note.
:23:35. > :23:51.As the two orchestras sway and then dance their way to the finale.
:23:52. > :24:28.I was so excited when I saw them all together
:24:29. > :24:33.and I felt such an emotion, I couldn't hold my tears back.
:24:34. > :24:39.And when I heard the bagpipes, Oh, my God, it was amazing!
:24:40. > :24:46.and I hope it grows and grows and grows!
:24:47. > :24:51.For the founder of Sistema Scotland, it's an emotional moment. And proof
:24:52. > :24:56.Each rehearsal was a high point for me
:24:57. > :24:59.and in many ways no matter what happened tonight, it would
:25:00. > :25:02.have been an outstandingly successful visit
:25:03. > :25:04.but something happened in that concert tonight.
:25:05. > :25:08.I mean, it just all came together, especially the Scottish piece
:25:09. > :25:12.and when Jakub marched on with his pipes, the whole hall,
:25:13. > :25:16.their hearts just opened! I mean, it was absolutely wonderful!
:25:17. > :25:19.Those children will be changed by that event,
:25:20. > :25:25.So...no, I didn't expect anything quite as wonderful as that.
:25:26. > :25:41.The British Ambassador in Caracas throws
:25:42. > :25:54.Pieces were a bit hard but, you know, that comes with the job.
:25:55. > :25:56.Being a musician, eh, you need to take the challenges,
:25:57. > :25:59.you take them and you just get them...
:26:00. > :26:05.I was quite nervous at the start but when I got in there I was fine.
:26:06. > :26:10.Four days we spent on training and then we pull an amazing
:26:11. > :26:17.concert off, just the feeling inside is absolutely great!
:26:18. > :26:21.For some this experience has given them a whole new perspective.
:26:22. > :26:24.I think I want to take this seriously,
:26:25. > :26:29.maybe progress onto making this my job,
:26:30. > :26:37.I think it's what I enjoy, it's what I do...I won't get bored with it!
:26:38. > :26:40.Oh, yeah, I'd love to be a musician.
:26:41. > :26:46.Erm, one of the woodwind teachers, Mr Allen, he told us, basically,
:26:47. > :26:49.keep it up, it's one of the best jobs you could possibly do.
:26:50. > :26:55.Keep doing it for the music and everything.
:26:56. > :27:10.countries to find out what they're like.
:27:11. > :27:14.OK, so we're going to go to the top half of the bow...
:27:15. > :27:18.Back in Scotland, I wondered what message the Big Trip sent to
:27:19. > :27:22.other communities, every bit as passionate about music.
:27:23. > :27:26.Here in Cumnock, almost every child in this primary school
:27:27. > :27:32.and for local composer James MacMillan, it's further proof
:27:33. > :27:36.that music can make a difference, whatever the scheme.
:27:37. > :27:42.There's only so often you can bring this evidence to those in power,
:27:43. > :27:47.If music is funded well, supported well,
:27:48. > :27:50.it will have a direct impact on so many other things that
:27:51. > :27:56.government and politicians and the public services see as so important.
:27:57. > :28:00.The evidence is right in front of their nose, they need to act on it!
:28:01. > :28:04.There have been piecemeal attempts from year to year, sometimes one
:28:05. > :28:08.government can be better than others but there always seems to be cuts.
:28:09. > :28:16.music will not come to the fruition that it can.
:28:17. > :28:21.The Big Trip may be over but the musical journey has just begun.
:28:22. > :28:25.These musicians will inspire not just the next generation
:28:26. > :28:33.in Raploch but new Sistema Scotland orchestras in Glasgow and Aberdeen.
:28:34. > :28:38.Was it amazing? Was it amazing, though? Yeah. Did you enjoy it?
:28:39. > :28:51.Have fun? Sure? What's the tears for then? Cos I missed you.
:28:52. > :28:55.Was the aeroplane better than the motorbike?