THE SCOTTISH Chamber Orchestra hit all the right notes when it treated children in hospital to a day of music workshops as part of a local charity’s innovative Arts Programme.
The Sick Kids Friends Foundation teamed up with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) to provide young patients with a wide range of musical activities, helping to distract them as they waited for surgery, calm them as they were being treated and relax them in what can be a stressful environment.
The use of storytelling through music encouraged the kids to have a creative outlook on day to day situations and helped them to communicate with other children who are going through similar experiences. It also gave them the chance to choose instruments that reflected how they were feeling and use them to tell a story about themselves.
Fiona O’Sullivan, Arts Programme Manager at the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “This was a fantastic activity organised for the children and we are extremely grateful for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for helping us make it happen.
“This is just one of the many activities we provide to ensure children and young people’s lives are less interrupted by illness; they are less scared of hospital and have a more positive experience.
“Not only did this help the children to relax but it was also a learning experience and enabled many of them to try out new digital and percussion instruments, and to communicate through sound, so it was beneficial in a number of ways.”
These workshops form part of SCO Connect activities surrounding the annual SCO Family Concert, which takes place this year in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on Saturday 18 February. The programme of activities also includes public workshops at the North Edinburgh Arts Centre, the Reid Concert Hall and the National Museum of Scotland.
Kirsteen Davidson Kelly, SCO Connect Director, said: “We always enjoy working with the hospital and SKFF and bringing music to the children and families who are receiving treatment.
“It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to share the SCO and the music from our Family Concert with those who unfortunately aren’t able to come to our concerts.”
The Sick Kids Friends Foundation has contributed £3million towards the Royal Hospital for Sick Children’s move to a new, purpose-built home at Little France in Spring 2018.
