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Launched by the Cité de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris, the social orchestral and musical education device (Démos) aims to promote access to classical music for children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods. As part of two surveys carried out within a youth and culture centre (MJC) in Toulouse, we show how a common frame of reference on the meaning accorded to children’s orchestral practice has been constructed at the intersection of the general expectations of the scheme and those of the community workers. Over and above the simple opposition between a top-down approach that aims to bring “Culture” to people who would lack it, and a bottom-up approach that encourages people to discover their own potential, the analysis shows that Démos is used to promote participation by residents of low-income neighbourhoods, going beyond its sole objectives of cultural democratisation.