THE new chairman of the Big Noise youth orchestra scheme has said he would like to expand it into Edinburgh and the Borders.
Benny Higgins, a leading banker and former chief executive of the Tesco Bank, said that the expansion of the Big Noise orchestras - there are currently four - will continue as he becomes the second chair of the 10-year-old charity.
There are currently Big Noise orchestras, which feature intensive music tuition for young children, in Raploch, Stirling, in Govanhill, Glasgow, where Mr Higgins grew up, in Dundee and Aberdeen.
Mr Higgins, who is also currently chairman of the National Galleries of Scotland, is succeeding Richard Holloway, the former Bishop of Edinburgh, writer and broadcaster, who was the founder of the project.
"I think its an incredibly worthy project," Mr Higgins said.
"It's very humbling to follow Richard Holloway."
He acknowledged that in the current financial climate, with the uncertainty of Brexit looming, fund raising for the charity would be a challenge, but said: "I think it would be more expensive not to do it.
"When you see those kids at play, and working together, and you recognise that it is often a challenging environment that they live in, the benefit of it far outweighs the cost.
"It's an incredibly worthy endeavour that will be a fantastic investment in the future of young children."
The Big Noise charity teaches 2,500 children in Govanhill, Glasgow, Torry, Aberdeen, and Douglas, Dundee as well the original Raploch centre.
Mr Higgins said he would like to add to the orchestras.
He said: "I think steady expansion is still the right way forward, but I think we not allow steady to become static, and we move on.
"Edinburgh is a rather obvious gap, so I think we need to understand how we can embrace Edinburgh, also there have got to be opportunities to look at the Borders, and some of those towns could really benefit from support, and maybe we can find some people in those towns who would like us to do so.
"You have to prioritise your efforts, but that doesn't mean you should lack ambition - Edinburgh and some rural areas would be an obvious development."
He will join the board this month, and will become chairman from 12 December.
Mr Higgins has held a number of senior executive roles in the banking sector, including with Standard Life, RBS, HBOS, and becoming Chief Executive of Tesco Bank in 2008.
He retired from Tesco in February and in June, Mr HIggins was appointed by the Scottish Government as strategic adviser for the establishment of the Scottish National Investment Bank.
He added: "I am convinced from my own experience, growing up in both Govanhill, a community where Big Noise now works, and nearby Toryglen, of the transformative power of the arts and music, and the vital importance of ensuring they are inclusive and open to all."
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