Fri 30th May (79)

Dear All,

What a bittersweet week it’s been. Not only did we begin with a jam-packed specialist weekend, but we also held our Leavers’ Concert and said farewell to our wonderful S6 pupils.

Leavers’ Concert

Our six S6 pupils gave their final formal recital as ACMS students last night, performing to a packed audience in the MPA. Each was introduced by a friend, before presenting a 15-minute programme of their own musical choices.

All our leavers received gifts and a public thank you from ACMS, and the evening closed with a rousing full-school performance of Bohemian Rhapsody.

An enormous thank you to all tutors and accompanists for the work they put into preparing and performing alongside the pupils, and for the consistent, often unseen, commitment they show every week.

Thanks as well to the Boarding team for hosting a lavish reception afterwards, to our pipers for greeting the audience and leading the way to the boarding house, and to James for his lively accordion playing in the MPA foyer.

Special thanks also to Miss Donati and Mrs Smith for all their behind-the-scenes efforts in making the evening so memorable. It was a night that our leavers and their families will never forget.

Specialist Weekend

Last weekend’s specialist rehearsals were a real highlight of the year. From start to finish, the professionalism on show was outstanding. We made excellent progress, including full run-throughs of all our Stirling tour repertoire.

A huge thank you to all staff involved and to every pupil for their focus and energy.

Musical Collaboration

We’re excited that some of our string players have been working with Mr Benzie, a physics teacher from Dyce Academy and an accomplished musician and composer. They’ve been rehearsing one of his string quartets, and we hope to share the results of this creative collaboration soon.

Portsoy Festival

Best of luck to James, our accordionist, who has been invited to open tonight’s music and poetry evening at the 15th Annual Haal Festival in Portsoy. He will be performing a 15-minute set to kick off the celebrations. Enjoy every minute, James!

Bagpipe Competitions

Good luck to Kai and Taylor this weekend. Kai is competing at the Blackford Highland Games tomorrow, and both pipers will be performing with the Methil and District Pipe Band at the Markinch Pipe Band Competition on Sunday. We’re cheering you on!

Schools’ Concert at St Machar's

Nine of our musicians performed at St Machar's Cathedral on Tuesday for pupils from three local primary schools. The programme featured solo and ensemble works spanning from 1700 to the present day. The young audience listened beautifully and engaged enthusiastically with the interactive parts of the concert.

Thank you to Katherine Williams for organising this brilliant outreach opportunity.

Ellon Rotary 50th Anniversary Garden Party

Well done to our jazz ensemble who performed at Ellon Castle Gardens for the Ellon Rotary Club’s 50th anniversary celebration. The band played for a full hour, with ten minutes of sunshine followed by fifty minutes of rain...and sixty minutes of professionalism.

Music History

Thank you to Mr Maunder, who used this week’s Music History session to explore the past of Stirling Castle and its musical connections. Very fitting as we prepare to visit next week.

Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Music Festival

Many of our pupils are taking part in multiple classes at this year’s festival, which runs throughout next week. We are delighted to see such strong participation and wish everyone the very best of luck.

Tour to Stirling

Friday 6th June to Sunday 8th June

Here's a reminder of the concert dates and venues for our Stirling tour. If you happen to be in the area, we’d love to see you there!

Friday 6th June - Jazz & Pop Concert LINK TO TICKET BOOKING

The Crush Hall, Pathfoot Building, University of Stirling – 7:00 pm

Saturday 7th June - Castle Performances

ACMS pupils will present short performances on the hour, every hour from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at various venues within Stirling Castle. (Entry included with castle admission)

Saturday 7th June - Evening Concert LINK TO TICKET BOOKING

Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling - 7:30 pm (Free entry – donations welcome)

Sunday 8th June - Bridge of Allan Parish Church

Morning service and shared performance with the parish choir. (Open to the public as part of the Sunday service) - Service begins at 11 am. Doors open and music from 10.30 am

Upcoming ACMS Concerts

Please flip through the poster carousel

ACMS Summer Concert – Saturday 14th June, 5:00 pm, Fountainhall Church at the Cross Click here for tickets

ACMS End of Year Prom Concert – Wednesday 2nd July, 6:00 pm, King's Church, Bridge of Don

Our final major concert of the year. A celebration of everything our pupils have achieved in 2024–25. Click here for tickets

That brings us to the end of another action-packed week. Next week, our focus will be on the Stirling tour from 6 to 8 June. Make sure to follow us on Instagram for updates and highlights from the trip.

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