Building on a Musical Partnership
From 16th – 20th December 2024, experienced violin duo Penny James and Matt Tighe returned to Orchard Brae School in Aberdeen City – a specialist school for children and young people with additional support needs. For the past two years, this enriching 5-day music residency has been made possible through the generous support of Aberdeen City Council’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI), managed by Music Coordinator Beth Edwards.
An Immersive Week of Music-Making
With this YMI funding, Penny and Matt once again brought their creativity, passion and collaborative approach to music to the school community. Over the five days, Penny and Matt delivered 29 workshops and a final performance across the school, reaching all 115 children and young people with additional support needs that the school caters for in primary and secondary education.
Impact in the Moment
“The piece of feedback that we got multiple times a day from staff was that the students were the quietest, calmest and most content that they had been in ages. We had one teacher who said the music had directly helped a distressed student become emotionally regulated and asked us to come back whenever we had a few spare minutes between classes. We had a lot of groups that found a collective experience of regulation and quiet, most notably at the final concert. There were a handful of times where people fell asleep. We made return visits to several classes at the request of the teachers.”
– Penny James and Matt Tighe
A Lasting Impression
“I am delighted that Penny and Matt were able to return to Orchard Brae last year. The school staff and children were very excited that they were returning to build upon the already-established positive relationships. Their visit has not only expanded the musical horizons of the pupils involved but has also reminded us of the transformative power of live music in this setting.”
– Beth Edwards, Music Coordinator, Aberdeen City Council
