The Big Concert – Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela - Live from Stirling

Event Details

Opening the London 2012 Festival in Scotland, a special concert on midsummer night with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela.

The Big Concert brings this charismatic conductor and his ebullient 200-strong orchestra to the Scottish community of Raploch, Stirling, where they will perform an outdoor concert set against the backdrop of Stirling Castle. It will also be broadcast live on BBC4 and BBC Radio Scotland.
Since 2008, the children of Raploch have been learning orchestral instruments and playing music together in Big Noise – inspired by and partnered with El Sistema, the Venezuelan project which has transformed the lives of many thousands of children through classical music. Gustavo Dudamel, whose musical education began in El Sistema, is Patron of Sistema Scotland. He and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela will come to Raploch for a four-day residency in which they will work with the Scottish children leaving an enormous artistic legacy to the community.
The Big Concert features a full performance by the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra with a special guest appearance by Big Noise.
An outdoor concert venue and stage will be created, accommodating hundreds of musicians and thousands of spectators. Set against the backdrop of Stirling Castle, the venue has sweeping views of the Ochil Hills and Wallace Monument. Laid out for mostly informal picnic attendance, the concert will be family-friendly with tickets offered at exceptional value-for-money prices.
Reviews of previous Gustavo Dudamel/ Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela concerts :
'Expectations: colossal. Achievement: beyond that.' – Daily Telegraph *****
'A notice should have been placed on the front doors – “Warning: high voltage hazard inside”… it was unforgettable…. The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra has gone out in front to show the world what classical music can achieve.' – The Financial Times
The Big Concert is presented in association with Creative Scotland, Event Scotland and Stirling Council.