Arts@Work - Scottish Widows 2007

During 2007 Scottish Widows has worked with Arts & Business to create arts residencies (called Arts@Work) at their two Edinburgh sites. The Scottish Chamber Orchestra's Lab group became player residents for the early part of the year, and worked with drumming tutors Pete Vilk and Mat Clements on drumming traditions of parts of Africa, Cuba and Brazil. The players and tutors devised games and sessions based on these traditions for Scottish Widows employees, and ran three successful weekend workshops on the different styles. Each workshop was led by a drumming tutor and Lab musician, and culminated in a performance of the weekend's work at a lunchtime concert at Scottish Widow's buildings!

Comments from the lunchtime audience included: "I thought they were a professional band hired to entertain us!"

The final performance saw the Scottish Widows employees perform alongside tutors and Lab musicians on their own orchestral instruments, and it was recorded for all participants.

SCO Education also ran a Scrapers & Tooters session for Scottish Widows employees, with conductor Michael Bawtree. Before the session Sylvia Dow, Arts & Business co-ordinator based at Scottish Widows commented:

"we are really looking forward to having Scrapers & Tooters as part of Arts@Work - a unique programme which gives Scottish Widows staff a wide variety of opportunities to hear, see, and get involved in the arts"