The Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) hit all the right notes when it treated children in hospital to a day of musical workshops as part of its community outreach programme.

The Sick Kids Friends Foundation is working in partnership with the SCO to provide beneficial workshops for young patients at The Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Featuring music from its Family Concert, the Orchestra provided children with a range of musical activities that helped 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. Families of patients also welcomed the addition of music on the ward as it gave them an opportunity to share the experience with their child.

The activity also featured lots of fun, interactive elements, giving children the chance to choose and experiment with different instruments. The workshop leader, Matilda Brown, and cellist, Harriet Davidson, invited the children to create their own stories, matching different sounds with imaginative characters and settings.

The use of storytelling using percussion and electronic instruments encouraged the kids to take a creative outlook on day to day situations and gave them new ways of communicating with fellow patients and families on the wards.

Fiona O’Sullivan, Arts Programme Manager of 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 taught many of them how to play some of the instruments and communicate through sounds.
“It’s definitely something we would look to do again in the near future.”

Lucy Forde, SCO Connect Director, said: “We always enjoy working with the hospital and bringing music to the children and families who are receiving treatment there. It’s wonderful to be able to share the SCO and the music from our Family Concert with people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to come to our concerts.”

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