THREE people from the Dollar Academy school community are competing in the BBC's All Together Now – The Great Orchestra Challenge.

Pupil Martina Sillence (FV), music teacher Mrs Aileen Watson and chemistry teacher Mr Blezard all play in Stirling Orchestra, the only Scottish finalist in the classical music battle of bands.

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Stirling Orchestra has made it through to the final five and are competing against the London Gay Symphony Orchestra, the North Devon Sinfonia, Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra from Yorkshire and The People's Orchestra from Birmingham, after beating off stiff competition from hundreds of hopefuls.

The show will be presented by BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms host Katie Derham. Mentoring the orchestras is world-renowned double-bassist Chi-Chi Nwanoku and judging will be done by conductor Paul Daniel.

He said: “I'll be looking for the orchestra that goes beyond technical excellence, they’ll have to capture the spirit and excitement of British amateur music, they have to really engage us musically and emotionally and connect with their audience.

“No matter where and how they start out, I want my 'best' orchestra to discover and really develop its potential.”

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The winning orchestra will have the chance to perform on stage at the BBC Proms in the Hyde Park.

Stirling Orchestra was formed in 1983 and currently has around 70 members, who rehearse at Stirling's Wallace High School every week.

Stephen Broad has been the orchestra's conductor for 12 years now. He told the BBC: “I think that when an orchestra plays well together the whole experience of it becomes much more successful, both for the orchestra and the audience.

"We have a huge range of abilities in the orchestra, but you can still achieve a really successful concert if you look for everyone to play together well."

People can follow Stirling Orchestra's progress by tuning into the show on BBC4, it will next air tomorrow, Tuesday, at 9pm.