Big Noise and YOLA Share the Stage in Edinburgh

EIF Concert. Photo: Jess Shurte.

In August, Big Noise brought together our young musicians from across Scotland with the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) for this year’s Edinburgh International Festival. The theme of this year’s Festival was “All Rise,” described by the Festival as “a rallying cry to artists and audiences to stand with us, in our belief that through artistic endeavour we will see each other more truthfully and more tolerantly.”

After months of work behind the scenes and four days together in Dundee, Scotland, a 95-musician orchestra made up of Big Noise and YOLA musicians—plus 100 younger Big Noise members forming a choir—came together on stage at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall for the Festival’s Family Concert on August 16, 2026.

It was a beautiful moment. But even before they ever shared the stage, the young musicians from Scotland and Los Angeles had achieved something remarkable. Over days of rehearsals, conversations, and shared experiences, they built friendships across continents, learned from one another, and discovered the power of music to bring people together despite differences in language, culture, and background.

Music as a universal language 

Every day at Big Noise, we watch children across Scotland develop confidence, teamwork, resilience, and pride in themselves as they learn their instruments. In supporting the same magic across underserved Los Angeles communities, YOLA was a well-suited international friend for us. Still, there were challenges—namely, the occasional language barrier.

Happily, our students were ready for it. Said Big Noise musician Mati, “Rehearsals were slightly different because the orchestra sometimes communicated in Spanish. There were moments when the conductor couldn’t fully get her point across in English. Luckily, staff and some of the YOLA participants helped with translating. Aside from that, rehearsing felt very similar. It reminded me that music really is a universal language.” 

The first joint rehearsal was fast-paced, setting the bar high for what was expected of our young people. Intensive residential rehearsal and performance experiences create chances for young people to grow as musicians in a supportive and nurturing environment. Rehearsing with high-caliber conductors may have felt daunting, but the young musicians bonded through it, building a space for encouragement from peers and teachers alike.

A residential experience   

The logistics of bringing two groups of young people together for four days of meals, rehearsals, and activities were of course challenging. It was important to us that the young people from Los Angeles, and even our own musicians from elsewhere in Scotland, had an authentic experience in a Scottish community during their time. Based in Dundee, we used community spaces for rehearsals—such as a local church hall, which made for interesting sectional practice when brass could be heard soaring over strings.

The week included a traditional Scottish ceilidh—a unique experience, with most people new to Scotland quite surprised at how energetic the dancing can be, even from the most unassuming Scots. After learning traditional Scottish dances, our YOLA friends introduced us to some of their own dances from a rich mix of cultural backgrounds, including a lively traditional Mexican dance number. The exchange was summed up beautifully by Aide, a young musician from YOLA, who said her highlight of the week was “sharing cultural similarities…we all love jumping!” It was a fun comment, but in its way, it got to the heart of why we work in this field. 

The performance

For months, our teams navigated both arrangement and seating challenges, merging two orchestras while working in time zones eight hours apart. It was no easy feat. We knew from our previous collaboration with YOLA that it was crucial not to underestimate the logistics of bringing two youth orchestras together for a performance like this. Through much preparatory work by both staffs, the young musicians ultimately took the stage as confidently and comfortably as they would have during a home performance.

And it was awe-inspiring to see them perform on a world stage. Evan, one of the YOLA musicians, was part of a small group of musicians asked to speak about their experience on stage. He summed up the experience beautifully: “It always amazes me how, no matter how far we live, how different we are, the music that we make is beautiful.”

There was an audience of around 2,000 people in Usher Hall and, by the concert’s end, a palpable celebratory atmosphere. Together, they were celebrating years of commitment, hard work, and growth, bringing to life the impact of an extraordinary musical journey. Shannon, a Big Noise alumna who returned for this concert, was part of the YOLA x Big Noise exchange back in 2019. Calling it a “full circle moment,” she reflected, “Since I am now working within [Big Noise], I get to see how much an event like this aids their musical journey.”

Big Noise and YOLA may be separated by an ocean, but both programs are rooted in a shared belief: that music can be a powerful force for social change. We are so proud to have shared the stage together. The concert lasted just over an hour, but the memories and growth our young people experienced will last a lifetime.