NORTH AYRSHIRE MUSIC SERVICE

That this House congratulates North Ayrshire Music Service on its many achievements during the 2015-16 school session, as it continues to offer fantastic opportunities for children to become involved in music-related activities in school and in extra-curricular environments; notes that funding from Creative Scotland Youth Music Initiative has allowed every primary school pupil in North Ayrshire and Arran to benefit from one year's free music tuition before they finish Primary 6; was pleased to hear that the North Ayrshire Schools' Senior Orchestra worked with professional musicians, the Telemann Ensemble, and performed a baroque music concert in Mansefield Trinity Church in Kilwinning in November 2015; acknowledges that the Pan Ayrshire Choir, a group of over 120 pupils from across three local authority groups, came together once more, this time to perform with the Military Wives Choir at the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock in April 2016, which was a huge success; was delighted to learn that Music Service instrumental instructors have been working with refugee children in Hayocks and Castlepark primary schools, offering string and pipe band drumming lessons, which have been very well received; further acknowledges that there are various other noteworthy successes that have been celebrated by the Music Service in 2015-16 including the Scottish Concert Band Festival, the Festive Strings Christmas Concert, a CD recording for Cash for Kids, and numerous other accomplishments; and wishes North Ayrshire Music Service every success in its future efforts in encouraging children to become involved in music-related activities.