A music CD and teachers’ resource pack, “A’ Adam’s Bairns”, is to be distributed to all primary and secondary schools in Scotland this month as part of a social inclusion initiative.

The aim is to use Scotland’s musical heritage, performed by contemporary artists, to show how racial and religious tolerance have evolved through the nation’s history. The resources, targeted at P6-S2 age-groups, will be supported by a series of classroom workshops.

With the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Library of Scotland, Scotdec and Fred Freeman have joined forces to produce a music CD which includes contemporary arrangements of songs by Hamish Henderson, Robert Burns, James Hogg and The Proclaimers (pictured), as well as numerous other works from the library’s music manuscript collections, including some previously unrecorded.

To mark its launch, a concert will take place at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh on April 17 at 7pm.

Dr Freeman said: “These songs and songwriters often reflected the moral conscience of our nation. As such, they are worthy of our interest, our study and our respect. This project invites our children to learn about Scotland’s music, culture and history.”

Beverley Casebow, education and outreach officer at the National Library of Scotland: E b.casebow@nls.uk.