The Really Terrible Orchestra

Yes - the name really says it all. The Really Terrible Orchestra is made up of not-so-confident instrumentalists who for some reason or another never passed a certain level of proficiency. The orchestra was founded in Edinburgh, England in 1995, by the Scottish novelist Alexander McCall-Smith, the orchestra’s resident bassoonist, his wife (the flautist), and Peter Stevenson “to encourage those who have been prevented from playing music, either through lack of talent or some other factor, to play music in the company of similarly afflicted players.” Inspired by their children’s school orchestras, McCall-Smith and Stevenson set out to find an amateur orchestra with which they could play. McCall-Smith and Stevenson’s efforts did not pay off – they couldn’t find an orchestra to join. Instead, they placed adds in multiple papers seeking amateur musicians to form their own orchestra. The response was overwhelming. After hiring a real conductor, Richard Neville Towle, the Really Terrible Orchestra was official. Their first concert, given to a slightly inebriated crowd, was a huge success met with laughter and applause. Since then, the Really Terrible Orchestra has become a regularly highlighted performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, one of the world’s largest art festivals.