Following the successful launch of Digital Orchestra: Youth in 2023, we are now opening this opportunity up wider to include school leavers, and those attending different schools. Digital Orchestra: Youth will create and nurture new musical communities of disabled young people to explore their musical potential, learn digital instruments, form new friendships and achieve musical and personal goals. In the first part of the launch of Digital Orchestra: Youth, we opened up sessions to young people in Orchard Brae School in Aberdeen, Kingspark School in Dundee, and Castlebrae Scho ..read more

On Creative Assistants by Sorcha Pringle Disabled people should be able to work at the same level and with equal job satisfaction as everyone else. In my work as a facilitator, I have been faced with the stark reality of the extent of the barriers faced by disabled artists.   There is a reasonably straight-forward adaption available to allow disabled artists such as myself, to thrive in facilitation work or in any other creative work that we are carrying out.   Enter the Creative Assistant.   A Creative Assistant is similar to what we might call a ‘personal assistant ..read more

Beyond Borders, Beyond Barriers The latest event in our CREATE artist-led programme is the culmination of the Disabled Artist Network’s  Beyond Borders, Beyond Barriers project featuring new work by six composers from England, Scotland and Wales composed for outstanding Welsh pianist Siwan Rhys, a leading exponent of experimental contemporary work for her instrument: https://www.siwanrhys.co.uk     Through a series of creative workshops six new pieces of music have been created exploring the sonic possibilities of the piano as an instrument that can be prepared and pla ..read more

New Heights of Creativity in our 2023 Summer Programme Chief Executive Thursa Sanderson shares highlights of this summer’s memorable Create Programme Call of the Mountains Clare Johnston’s Collaboration with Eegeru Ensemble, Kazakhstan – ‘An extraordinary multi-cultural union’ [Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman] Multi-talented composer, technologist and music educator Clare Johnston has been nurturing a link with the contemporary Kazakh ensemble Eegeru since 2021.  She became fascinated by how they incorporate traditional Kazakh instruments into their sound including the ancient shamanic Kyl Ko ..read more

Drake Music Scotland have been working in schools in Aberdeenshire with Live Life Aberdeenshire for more than 10 years. In the 20th Anniversary year of Creative Scotland’s #YouthMusicInitiative and in the launch year of DMS Learn, we wanted to document the fantastic work that our Associate Musicians deliver to the young people in Aberdeenshire. Watch the film now on our Youtube Channel!   This short documentary follows Drake Music Scotland Associate Musicians Abi Sinar in Carronhill School in Stonehaven, and Francis Moore-Colyer in Aboyne Primary School inAboyne throughout a year of del ..read more

McKenzie’s Work Experience Bands, Figurenotes, Technology… McKenzie Daykin came to us 17th April – 21st April 2023 for a week of work experience. McKenzie is already known to us as he attends two bands with us each week, and has drum lessons with Rebecca. During the week, McKenzie was tasked with a variety of things including some office based tasks, and hands on experience in our music sessions as well as attending his usual bands. Here is what he got up to this week. MONDAY Worked with Bas, going through all iPads and laptops to make sure they are in the building and what cupboard they are s ..read more

In his second blog for us, Drake Music Scotland Associate Composer Ben Lunn gives us a run down on latest news and developments from the Disabled Artist Network including an exciting partnership with Kazakh contemporary music ensemble Eegeru. The past few months have been a curious mix of things, multiple events, slowly returning to a ‘normality’ as the pandemic seems to drift away. There have been many lessons learnt and quite a few things we can take pride in. In July, our Getting to Know You Session returned with two guests, Mahan Esfahani the internationally renowned harpsichordist – who ..read more

We are currently engaging Sanjeev Mann as a digital media consultant to help us improve the accessibility and user-engagement of our website and social media.  Sanjeev is an up-and-coming young journalist and content creator with outlets including BBC’s The Nine and The Scotsman, writing about disability rights and a wide range of other social issues.  He is also passionate about music, and as a hip-hop enthusiast makes beats and produces for Scottish rappers. https://sanjeevjourno.wordpress.com Sanjeev has created a short survey to help us improve the accessibility and appearance ..read more