Friday 13th Feb 2026 (106)

Dear All,

One might assume that a week off from ACMS would bring a quieter spell. Of course, that was never going to happen. Even without formal lessons or ensembles, the week has been full of trips, activities, and personal achievements. Here is a snapshot of what everyone has been up to.

Scottish Opera 🎶 Workshop No. 3 ✨🎭

What an unforgettable two days for our Principal Study vocalists. Another hugely inspiring experience with Scottish Opera has drawn to a close, and we are heading home buzzing with ideas, motivation, and a fair bit of awe.

Day One was packed with focused vocal rehearsals on the four opera choruses we will perform in May. We also had the rare opportunity to meet the set and costume designers behind Scottish Opera’s newest production, The Great Wave. Hearing first-hand about their creative journeys, and the sheer scale of thought, craft, and collaboration involved, was both humbling and eye-opening. The afternoon took us into the theatre to observe a stage and orchestra rehearsal, watching a brand-new opera come together in its final stages.

Day Two brought further vocal learning, deeper technical work, and continued rehearsal of our choruses, this time supported by postgraduate singers from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The course concluded with a special moment: sitting in the pit with the orchestra during a final run-through of the opera. An extraordinary and unforgettable experience.

A particular highlight was meeting Robert Forrest, an ACMS alumnus working on the production. He very generously took time to speak fondly about his experiences at Aberdeen City Music School and Dyce Academy, creating a lovely moment of connection for our pupils. We hope to welcome him back to the school for a nostalgic tour when he is next in the area 💙

We are immensely grateful to the entire Scottish Opera outreach team for the care, energy, and commitment they bring to engaging our ACMS vocalists. Experiences like this genuinely open doors and broaden horizons.

Now it is all eyes on our final workshop in May, when we will join forces with professional singers and perform these choruses in full on stage ✨🎶

Scottish Young Musicians Aberdeen City Junior Heats

Congratulations to our junior performers (S1 to S3) for all their hard work in preparing for and performing in the Scottish Young Musicians Junior Heats. These heats were run by the City Music Service and held at Muirfield Primary School on Tuesday and Wednesday, with three classes running simultaneously.

This is a demanding experience for young performers. Pupils must take responsibility for tuning their own instruments, organising their music, working with an accompanist with very little rehearsal, and performing confidently in front of an unfamiliar audience and adjudicators. That is no small ask, particularly within the first three years at ACMS.

Independence and the ability to perform under unfamiliar conditions are vital skills for developing musicians, and our pupils rose to the challenge admirably. Very well done to everyone involved, and sincere thanks to all our tutors for their thoughtful preparation and support.

Italian and French Song Evening

We are very much looking forward to our vocal recital on Tuesday 17 February at 6.30 pm in the MPA. Owing to the burst water main in Dyce last term, our French Song concert had to be postponed, so this recital will now feature both Italian and French song.

The concert will last approximately 90 minutes. Admission is free, and all family and friends are warmly welcome.

Specialist Weekend 7

Specialist Weekend 7 takes place on Friday 20 February from 2.45 pm to 5.15 pm, and Sunday 22 February from 10.30 am to 5.15 pm. This will give us the opportunity to work through our programme for the March Concert. We are also delighted that our bursary pupils will join us for part of the rehearsals, as they will be performing towards the end of the March Concert themselves.

Recital at Noon

We are looking forward to performing at Recital at Noon on Saturday 21 February at St Andrew’s Cathedral. We have developed a strong relationship with the Cathedral over recent years and are very grateful for their continued warmth and hospitality. Admission is free, and all family and friends are welcome.

Parkhill Court Residential Home

On Thursday 19 February, almost the entire Music School will have the opportunity to perform at Parkhill Court Residential Home. This community concert offers a valuable chance to share some of our ensemble repertoire in advance of the March Concert.

Willow Appointed Rehearsal Accompanist

Many congratulations to Willow on her successful audition for the role of Rehearsal Accompanist with Con Anima. Con Anima has been performing across Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland for over 30 years and is an auditioned chamber choir made up of singers from across the local area. Following a competitive interview and audition process, Willow has been appointed as their regular rehearsal accompanist and will now work with the choir on a weekly basis. This is a wonderful achievement and testament to her musicianship, reliability, and professionalism. We are extremely proud and wish her every success in this exciting new role.

We are absolutely delighted to highlight an exciting and rare opportunity as part of the Haddo Arts Season 2026. The opening concert on Saturday 11 April will take the form of a special Come and Sing day led by the world-renowned composer and conductor Sir John Rutter. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful choral composers of the last half-century, Sir John will lead a mixed programme celebrating great choral repertoire, spanning music old and new, and including some of his most recent works. Designed to be an inspiring and joyful day of singing, this event is open to singers of all levels and promises a truly memorable shared musical experience in the beautiful setting of Haddo House Hall. Demand is expected to be very high, with souvenir music included, and tickets will be available from 27 February until 15 March at 11 pm. This is a standout opportunity to sing under the direction of one of the great figures of choral music, right on our doorstep, and one not to be missed.

NYCOS

The National Youth Choir of Scotland Boys’ Choir is running a free one-day experience in Stirling on 8 April 2026. Pupils aged 10 to 15 are eligible, with registration at 10.00 am and a performance at 4.45 pm.

NYCOS has provided exceptional musical and social experiences for many of our pupils, and this promises to be an excellent day. It is open to any pupil who enjoys singing, not only specialist vocalists. Boys aged 10 to 15 are strongly encouraged to take up this opportunity if possible.

A poster with a QR code is attached, and early booking is advised as places are limited. You can also click HERE

Aberdeen Bach Choir

We are very grateful to the Aberdeen Bach Choir for letting us know about two forthcoming concerts.

The first takes place on Friday 25 April 2026 at St Machar’s Cathedral, featuring much-loved choral works including Britten’s Hymn to St Cecilia, Bach’s Singet dem Herrn, and Finzi’s Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice.

The second concert will be on Saturday 5 December 2026, when the choir performs Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with professional soloists.

Tickets for pupils are free. Please let us know if you would like to attend.

A Fresh Look for Boarding

Huge thanks to our Boarding staff, who have been hard at work refreshing the ground floor of the Boarding House. The new colour scheme, updated wall displays, and recently added photographs have transformed the space beautifully. For parents collecting this afternoon or dropping off on Sunday, please do ask for a quick look around. It has been a genuine labour of care and commitment from the team, and we are enormously grateful for the warmth and thoughtfulness they bring to creating a true home from home for our boarders.

Have a wonderful weekend.

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