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Dear All,
Thank you all for another great week here at ACMS. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights, and a quick glance at what’s coming up.
'Doors Open' Day at St Machar’s Cathedral
Well done to our pupils who performed on Saturday afternoon at St Machar’s Cathedral as part of the citywide Doors Open event.
The cathedral had just hosted a wedding as beautiful as any one could imagine, so arriving to that setting was quite special. Our pupils rose to the occasion with professionalism and flair, giving performances ranging from classical and jazz to pop and improvisation...all while people drifted in and out, exploring the cathedral. A lovely showcase of ability and adaptability!
Vocal Concert
A huge congratulations to our vocalists for their superb concert of English language songs and arias. The evening was filled with variety: art song, traditional song, musical theatre and pop.
Special thanks to Mrs Kyle for her sensitive accompanying and, unusually this time, our singers also accompanied their peers for an extra musical item. It was a fantastic opportunity for many of our second-study pianists to step up and play for their colleagues. Thank you too to Petra for her excellent accompaniment, and as always to Dr Milne for preparing our singers so thoroughly.
Informal Concerts
Our nightly informal concerts continue to grow in popularity. They’re scheduled for 7:45pm, but nearly every evening this week we’ve had so many eager performers that we had to start at 7:30!
These concerts give pupils a chance to test out new repertoire, sometimes a full piece, sometimes just a section, in a friendly but gently pressurised environment. We’ve been delighted to see such enthusiasm for practising the art of performance.
Pupil News
Pupil News
It has been another exciting week of achievements from our young musicians! Huge congratulations to Kai, who had a fantastic weekend of piping at the Blairgowrie & Rattray Highland Games 2025. With 81 talented pipers competing across both junior and senior categories, Kai shone in performances ranging from the haunting beauty of piobaireachd to the lively energy of march, strathspey and reel...a superb representation of ACMS with passion and dedication. Meanwhile, Heather enjoyed a wonderfully busy weekend with her harp: on Friday she was part of a unique fundraising concert, Musart, organised by Morag Simpson, where artist David Newbatt created a painting live in response to the performers’ music (with Heather even adding her own brush strokes!). On Saturday morning she joined the Harps Accord ensemble at the Bon Accord Baths Doors Open Day, performing alongside bursary pupil Emma and under the direction of ACMS alumna, Nadine. To round things off, a huge well done to Freyja for achieving a brilliant 100% in a recent Grade 5 Theory specimen paper - what better way is there to begin your weekend other than with a perfect Grade 5 Theory score!!
Farewell to Ms Strachan
Last Friday we said goodbye to Mrs Strachan, who has been a strong supporter of ACMS and an integral part of our admissions and induction processes. A regular face at our concerts and a friendly presence just around the corner from us, she will be much missed.
Ms Strachan is moving to Albyn School to take up a leadership role, and we wish her every success in her new post.
Jazz at the Blue Lamp
Tomorrow evening, ACMS tutors Matthew Kilner and Neil Birse will be leading a gig and jazz jam at The Blue Lamp.
📅 Saturday 13 September
🕣 9:30 – 11:00pm (following their concert at 8:00pm)
🎟 £5 for students
Students will have the chance to get up and play during the jam, and Matthew and Neil will be on hand to guide things along.
Tickets: Available on the door
Thoughts on Lessons
Over the past fortnight we’ve been reflecting on what it means to be good learners. We’ve talked about the importance of walking into the practice room with humility, developing the strength to receive and use criticism, and recognising that resilience is a key factor in good learning.
It’s never easy to be told where we need to improve, but learning to respond positively to constructive criticism from trusted tutors is vital to our growth as musicians. None of us enjoys the process of being corrected, but it’s one of the best ways to move forward.
New Arrivals in the Instrument Family
We’re delighted to share that our department has welcomed two wonderful new additions: an alto saxophone and a guitar! Both have already been put straight to work and are proving very popular. A huge thank you to the family for this generous donation. 🎷🎸
September Weekend
September Weekend
Just a quick reminder that next week is the September Weekend:
• Thursday 18 September – early close at 3:00pm
• Tuesday 23 September – full ACMS programme running as normal until 8:00pm
Open Morning
Open Morning
A reminder that our Open Morning will take place on Sunday 28 September, 10:00am – 12:00 noon.
The morning will begin with a welcome from me and the Head Teacher of Dyce Academy, followed by performances from our pupils. Visitors will then have the chance to chat with our staff, parents, and pupils.
Please note that this is a timed event starting at 10:00am sharp (unlike some “drop-in” style open mornings), as the concert element makes it important for everyone to be in place at the start.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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