Edinburgh Napier University

An Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) PhD student’s endeavour to teach music to adults in rural parts of Scotland has been hailed for its ‘huge impact’.

Since the autumn of last year, professional violist Arianna Ranieri has been offering beginner’s tuition as part of her project, Community Instrumental Music Service for Rural Scotland (CIMSRS). She was initially inspired by playing concerts across the country and encountering audience members who missed out on the chance to learn an instrument during their childhood, or had to stop because of where they live.

Many of the participants in Millport and Auchtermuchty had no previous experience of playing music. Following 12 weeks of teaching violin and viola in both towns, each was left with a small community of enthusiastic upper strings players - who dubbed themselves the Bothy Bowers and the Fife Fiddlers respectively.

Arianna is now five weeks into another set of lessons, this time in Glencoe.

Some of those who have been taking part in CIMSRS have met with educators, policy makers and instrument providers at ENU’s Craiglockhart campus this week (26 May) to discuss ways to enhance adult music education across Scotland – and play some tunes together.

The event was hosted by Arianna alongside Edinburgh Napier’s Professor Zack Moir and Bryden Stillie.

As part of her research, Arianna is examining the effect that playing music is having on participants and assessing whether this could become a model for growing self-sustaining music communities in rural Scotland.

Arianna said: “It has been rewarding and humbling to see music have such a profound effect on people who never previously had the chance to learn.

“I have been blown away by the enthusiasm of those who’ve taken part so far, and the spirit with which they have taken on something completely new.

“I hope that our discussions can help find a way to continue this momentum and offer the opportunity of playing an instrument to more communities across Scotland.

“The benefits of playing music are well documented, so I would be delighted if we can make it more accessible.”

Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain, whose North East Fife constituency includes Auchtermuchty, was among those present at Monday’s symposium.

She said: “This project has had a huge impact on people across Fife, including Auchtermuchty in my constituency, and it’s fantastic to see such great efforts to ensure music education is more accessible for adults in rural Scotland.

“It’s really important that living in a rural area doesn’t equate to a lack of opportunities, and seeing this project ensure that people can still enjoy access to music education, regardless of where they live, is really great.”

Anyone interested in Arianna’s work can find out more on the CIMSRS social media channels.

Picture captions: Top, members of the Fife Fiddlers, who formed as a result of Arianna's classes, with Wendy Chamberlain MP (third from right) and Arianna Ranieri (far right). Middle, Arianna Ranieri giving a presentation at the symposium. Bottom, Wendy Chamberlain MP taking part in one of the sessions.