We are on a mission to transform lives through music.

Sistema Scotland is a charity set up to break the cycle of social blight which sees children in many areas at risk of growing up to be involved in crime, substance abuse and anti-social behaviour. We believe these afflictions, all too common across urban Scotland, often stem from a loss of self-worth in childhood. An answer can lie in making music within the structure of a symphony orchestra.

We take the Sistema name from the orchestra movement established in Venezuela in 1975 by Maestro José Antonio Abreu.

We are very proud of our close links with Venezuela. We seek to benefit from the South Americans’ expertise, while adapting their methods to suit conditions in Scotland.

Deprivation takes many forms, and we live in a very different country from Venezuela, but the circumstances which can lead to the alienation of a child, and the attributes of playing in an orchestra which can counter them, are essentially the same.

Sistema Scotland exists to develop orchestra centres on the ground in Scotland. These are known in the community as Big Noise. The first is in Raploch, Stirling. We have plans for further centres across Scotland.

You can help us by making a donation online at The Big Give website.