One of the brightest young talents of the classical music world, the 26-year-old Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, will do anything he can to help the Scottish version of El Sistema, the music system that found and developed his talent.

One of the brightest young talents of the classical music world, the 26-year-old Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, will do anything he can to help the Scottish version of El Sistema, the music system that found and developed his talent.

He said he wants to help in the first orchestra in Scotland based on the system, which is in the Raploch housing estate in Stirling.

Dudamel was in Scotland last night conducting the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra at the Edinburgh International Festival, and said that he thought that El Sistema would work in Scotland, where it is currently being adapted and trialled in Raploch in a project being called the Big Noise.

Last year, Dudamel, who is also the conductor for the LA Philharmonic, conducted the leading youth orchestra from El Sistema at the Festival, to much acclaim, which led directly to charitable donations from audience members to the El Sistema in Scotland.

He said: "When you have an instrument you feel you are the owner of a special world, I know I felt that when I had my first violin.

"My family was not rich, it was a poor family, but I had my instrument and my orchestra gave me all these possibilities. It is something very special.

"I am sure it can work in a society like Scotland, and with the tradition and the knowledge here, I am sure it can work easy.

"I would love to help here, and I want to help."

El Sistema has been in operation for 30 years in Venezuela and has taught more than 400,000 poor children the joys of classical music.