THE children of the Big Noise musical initiative in Raploch, Stirling, are in the running for one of the most prestigious music awards of the year.

The Big Concert, which featured the Raploch children and launched last year's London 2012 Olympic Festival, has been short-listed for a Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) award, as has Scottish pianist Steven Osborne, the Sound festival based in the north-east of Scotland, and Drake Music Scotland, Scotland's music organisation for people with disabilities.

The award winners will be announced on May 14.

The Big Concert is in the audiences and engagement category, alongside Southampton's Musical Alphabet and the Philharmonia Orchestra's Universe of Sound.A spokesman said: "We are proud and excited to have made the short list."

Mr Osborne is up for instrumentalist of the year, along with Colin Currie, a percussionist, and fellow pianist Francesco Piemontesi.

Drake Music are in the learning and participation category for Technophonia by Oliver Searle, along with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Proper Job Theatre Company and Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir and the LSO On Track at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics

The Sound festival is short listed in the concert series and festivals prize along with the BBC Proms and the PRS for Music Foundation.