On the 27th February, we had a magnificent day of music-making, as almost 200 pupils from all three Ayrshire council areas came together for a special singing day at Ayr Town Hall, led by the incredible Eamonn Dougan and Andy McTaggart. This day had been a long time in the planning, and is part of our plan to provide musical opportunities for young singers from across Ayrshire.
The very next day we began two new projects simultaneously! James MacMillan and Gillian Walker visited Doon Academy to begin working with their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher music students. James and Gillian worked closely with pupils to develop their compositions as they prepare to submit them for assessment. Later in the year, James, Gillian and a group of professional musicians will return to Doon Academy to lead a series of sessions working on their compositions from their very inception. At the same time, our multi-year project ‘The Unbroken Thread’ returned to Hillside School. Over the next few months, Drake Music Scotland and musicians from the Hebrides Ensemble will work with senior pupils with additional support needs from Hillside, and service users at the Riverside Centre, as the young people transition from school to adult services.