Anne Meredith and National Youth Orchestra: HandsFree

The National Youth Orchestra is working with Edinburgh born composer Anna Meredith to inspire young people nationwide to share their musicianship and creative inventiveness without their instruments - through beatboxing and clapping – in a project called HandsFree.

Sally Beamish and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment: Spinal Chords

The Orchestra for the Age of Enlightenment is working with Scottish based composer Sally Beamish to create Spinal Chords, a piece of music set to a text written by Melanie Reid, a columnist for The Times who broke her neck and back following a horse-riding accident earlier this year. The piece will reflect the positive spirit of Melanie and the many other people, including Paralympians, who display such a life-affirming attitude in the face of adversity.

Aidan O’Rourke & An Tobar: TAT-1

Scottish Fiddler and composer Aidan O’Rourke is working with An Tobar, The Tobermory Arts Centre to create TAT-1, inspired by the first transatlantic telephone cable which ran from Aidan’s hometown, Oban on the west coast of Scotland to Newfoundland. As the Olympics brings the world closer together, the cable had the same purpose and for many years carried the ‘Hotline’ between Washington and Moscow.

Oliver Searle & Drake Music Scotland: Technophonia

Technophonia will be written for a new kind of ensemble that brings together cutting edge music interfaces used by Drake Music Scotland, the nation’s leading arts organisation providing music making opportunities for people with disabilities. Oliver Searle's music will inspire the young musicians to combine their individual talents to achieve a unique team performance, which will challenge how the audience defines musical instruments and performing musicians.