Making Music - Scotland

Falkirk Libraries and Falkirk Council are going LARGE this Make Music Day UK. Have a look at this great programme 👇of performances and activity throughout Saturday and Sunday. The big finish will be the Big Summer Wind Orchestra & Choir event at The Kelpies. Any singer and anyone who plays a wind orchestra instrument at any level is welcome to join us, and everyone can enjoy a brilliant performance at 5pm The Helix ! Free for participants and audiences.
https://falkirk.bigsummerwindorchestra.org/

We're looking forward to Make Music Day later this month which includes the 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐫 at the The Kelpies and events in Falkirk town.

Libraries kick things off with performances in our buildings and an 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 at Falkirk Library on Saturday 20th June.

Tune in: https://www.falkirkleisureandculture.org/make-music-day-2026

We are delighted to be be heading to The Helix in Falkirk on Make Music Day UK 21 June for the Big Summer Wind Orchestra & Choir event. If you play any wind orchestra instrument or love to sing, then join us and conductor Callum Rooke, That British Conductor Guy at The Kelpies for 2 hours of playing and singing a really fun programme - musicals, pop favourites, opera choruses and a few new arrangements of Scottish folk classics. Free to join, and if you sign up now you'll get the music in advance for a wee practice at home!

https://www.thehelix.co.uk/whats-on/big-summer-wind-orchestra-and-choir/

https://falkirk.bigsummerwindorchestra.org/

Enjoy this recording of the 2025 composition, also funded by Creative Scotland

Linlithgow String Orchestra - Engine Shed - 1. Mind the Faeries in my Kailpatch, by Deborah Shaw Making Music is the UK's number one organisation supporting and championing leisure-time music, with over 3,800 member groups. Offering practical services, online resources, artistic opportunities and

Join the Big Summer Wind Orchestra & Choir at The Kelpies and Helix Park on 21 June - Make Music Day UK. We're inviting anyone who can play a wind orchestra instrument or who loves to sing to join us for a big blaw oot!

Everyone is welcome to join, with any wind orchestra instrument or just your voice. No experience required, no rehearsal expected, no fee - just join in and have fun! The programme will have something for everyone - from folk song to musicals, and pop favourites to opera choruses. Performers can access the sheet music digitally a few weeks in advance if they do want to have a wee practise.

We'll be one of four events taking place across the UK, the final leg in a relay from Belfast to Aberystwyth to London and then Falkirk from 4.30pm. The event is organised by the BSWO&C with Making Music and supported by Falkirk Council.

Full info and sign up here: https://falkirk.bigsummerwindorchestra.org/

Congratulations to Forth Valley Chorus and Aberdeen Chorus - 1st and 2nd places at Quartet of Nations Region 31 - Sweet Adelines International contest earlier this month. Scotland representing!

Region 31 history has been made.... FIRST PLACE with a score of 700 baby!!!!

Congratulations to every single chorus, some incredible scores once again, you make your region very proud!

This Mental Health Awareness Week is about Taking Action to improve your mental health. Any of you who have been singing or playing together this week are doing just that. Singer and MM member Samir Savant explains how in this article: https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/news/why-singing-good-you

And have a look at this study by UCL with evidence that "People who engaged in arts activities reported a greater ability to cope with mental health problems... Cultural attendance may not alter the psychological or behavioural factors relating to coping in the way that the act of ‘participation’ in arts activities does "
https://sbbresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SBB-Evidence-Brief-Arts-and-mental-health.pdf

We love that our members are not only taking care of themselves by making music, but also taking action to open up music to all and creating friendly and happy environments for their community. Thank you and enjoy your music making this week.

Less than 2 days to go until we go to the polls for the Scottish Parliament elections. If you are still considering which boxes to check, here's a couple of articles with a round up of the parties policies on culture and the arts. Culture Counts have a full round up as well (and not behind a paywall!) - Making Music is a member of the Culture Counts network and we are backing the call for a Culture Act for Scotland.

https://culturecounts.scot/news/2026/4/8/scottish-parliament-elections-2026-party-manifesto-pledges-for-culture

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/26073239.scotlands-political-parties-planning-arts-industry/

https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/what-scotlands-political-parties-have-planned-for-arts-and-culture-7173156

What Scotland's political parties have planned for arts and culture The parties’ manifestos differ dramatically in their focus on culture

Are you wondering what your candidates in the Scottish Parliament election will do for culture? Culture Counts have been tracking the party manifesto pledges for culture and produced this handy chart 👇. You can see the full detail here: https://culturecounts.scot/news/2026/4/8/scottish-parliament-elections-2026-party-manifesto-pledges-for-culture

Read why Making Music are backing the Culture Counts ask for A Culture Act for Scotland here: https://www.makingmusic.org.uk/news/scotland-culture-act

📣The Big Summer Wind Orchestra and Choir are coming to FALKIRK on Make Music Day UK 21 June and you are all invited to join!

🎺 We'll be at the iconic Kelpies at Helix Park at 5pm, for a scratch performance. Everyone is welcome to join and sing or play any wind orchestra instrument. You'll perform a wide range of music including well-known pop, folk, opera songs and classical arrangements plus some Scottish favourites. Sheet music will be provided for free to all performers in advance. No charge to take part.

🎷All info and sign up forms are here https://falkirk.bigsummerwindorchestra.org/

Please share and spread the word. There will also be an event in London, Aberystwyth and Belfast, so join us and make this an epic way to celebrate music making across the whole of the UK!