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Returned to Stirling on Monday for the first anniversary of Scotland's first El Sistema project - the Big Noise Orchestra.

El Sistema is the pioneering Venezuelan network of orchestras, which has inspired millions of children, many from the barrios, the poorest inner city areas, to take up music.

It's as much about the team spirit and the discipline of the orchestra as it is about making music - although 30 years on, with more than 150 orchestras, including the flagship Simon Bolivar Orchestra, music is now one of their most important exports.

The much acclaimed Gustavo Dudamel - who recently won a classical Brit for his work with the orchestra - is a product of the system as are many professional musicians.

Thousands more have simply used it as a foothold onto less musical careers.
Here in Scotland, it was the Raploch area of Stirling which was chosen for the Scottish pilot.

While it would be unfair to class the area alongside Venezuela's barrios, it has its fair share of problems, and a reputation for less worthy pursuits.

Many were sceptical about how well the project would be received by its tight-knit community but going by this week's concert, it seems to be well and truly established.

Many of the families are now seeing the second or third child joining the orchestra or the pre-school activity.

Rehearsals are hard work - three or four times a week but the results are already showing, with some of the players moving on from open strings to more concentrated playing.

They're a long way off from being a symphony orchestra but in some ways, that's not the point.

The social interaction and determination of this little band - many of them still only six and seven years old - is as important as their ability to perform in a packed Albert Hall in Stirling.

While they're still trying to convince the Scottish Government it's worthy of funding - the new English scheme meriting a whopping £2m pound grant from the UK Government - it's not stalling plans for further expansion with both Glasgow and Aberdeen on the radar for possible new orchestras.