Friday 20th Mar 2026 (111)

Dear All,

Fresh from our most high-profile weekend of the year, it has been a pleasure to return to school and a sense of normality. After weeks of focus on the March Concert, it has felt refreshing to settle back into daily practice, informal concerts, assemblies, and aural training. There is certainly a collective sense of tiredness this week, but also a great deal of pride. It has been a joy to hear pupils reflecting on the concert, sharing stories from the day, and already looking ahead to what they might achieve next year.

Although the March Concert is a highlight of our calendar, it was by no means the only thing going on. Here is a look at the past week.

The March Concert

Congratulations to all our pupils on an outstanding March Concert. The performance was the culmination of an enormous amount of hard work, and it was a pleasure to see everything come together so successfully on Saturday evening.

What made the evening particularly special was that it was entirely pupil-led. While staff, tutors, and carers played a vital role in preparing the programme, there was not a member of staff on stage throughout the concert. The pupils demonstrated remarkable teamwork, not only in their performances but in every aspect of the evening: supporting one another, introducing items, managing stage transitions, and ensuring the concert ran seamlessly.

It was a polished, professional, and deeply musical event, and a wonderful example of what can be achieved through collaboration, care, and shared purpose. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making it such a memorable occasion.

Thank you to Mr Maunder for a great set of photos. Here are a few from the day.

Aberdeen City Orchestra Youth Orchestra

Congratulations to our pupils who performed with the Aberdeen City Orchestra Youth Orchestra on Wednesday evening. The programme included music by Purcell, Butterworth, and Mendelssohn, and we are delighted that both the rehearsals and the performance itself were such positive experiences.

P7 Introduction Day

Dyce Academy recently welcomed next year’s S1 pupils and their families for an introduction day. As part of this, ACMS presented a 90-minute open concert in one of the drama studios.

The format was intentionally informal, with pupils performing a wide variety of solo, ensemble, and tutti repertoire. Visitors were able to drop in and experience the breadth of music-making at the school, and it was a lovely opportunity to connect with prospective pupils and families.

There was a relaxed and spontaneous feel to the event, which made it all the more enjoyable. Well done to all involved for representing the school so warmly and musically.

Scottish Young Musicians (SYM) Competition

We wish our pupils the very best of luck in the upcoming Scottish Young Musicians regional finals.

The Junior Final takes place on Monday 23 March at 7.00 pm in the Cowdray Hall. Good luck to Heather, James, Athena, and Aleina as they perform their five-minute programmes.

The Senior Final follows on Tuesday 24 March, also at 7.00 pm in the Cowdray Hall. We wish Willow, Kai H, and Douglas every success in their seven-minute performances.

Thank you, as always, to the staff, carers, and tutors who support our pupils so fully in preparing for these opportunities. Although ACMS will be in session on both evenings, we will certainly be cheering you on in spirit.

A Busy Weekend

Fife Arms, Braemar

Congratulations to Willow on performing her first set as the pianist at the Fife Arms in Braemar. A fantastic milestone and an exciting peek into the world of professional live performance.

Perform in Perth

Congratulations to Heather on her success at the 'Perform in Perth' festival, a long-standing and highly respected music, dance, and speech competition. Heather had an excellent day, gained valuable experience, and we are delighted that she has been invited to perform again this Saturday. Brava!

Inverness Music Festival

Congratulations to Sophie who has had a wonderful two weeks at the Inverness Music Festival, enjoying great success competing in the Solo Classical, Solo Contemporary, Secondary Solo, and Robert Burns Festival. Two festivals in two weeks!

Parsifal in Inverness

An exciting opportunity is coming up in May, when the Mahler Players will perform Wagner’s Parsifal at Inverness Cathedral (27 and 31 May, both at 4.00 pm).

Our violin tutor, Guera Crockett, will be performing in the orchestra, alongside an exceptional cast including Sir John Tomlinson. This promises to be a remarkable musical experience and well worth the journey.

Jam Session – Sunday

We have received a kind invitation from John Youngs to a relaxed and welcoming jazz jam session this Sunday (22 March, 3.00–3.30 pm) at the Great Western Community Centre in Aberdeen.

Led by Neil Birse, this is an open opportunity for pupils to join in with a house band. No prior jazz experience is required, and performers will receive free entry to the wider day of events, which includes a range of local, national, and international artists. It promises to be a lively and inspiring occasion.

Matthew Kilner Quintet

If you are free tomorrow at 5.30 pm, do consider attending the Matthew Kilner Quintet at the Cowdray Hall as part of the Aberdeen Jazz Festival.

Matthew, who teaches saxophone at ACMS, is a former BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician finalist. The concert will last approximately 90 minutes and promises to be a fantastic evening of live jazz.

Donations

We are very grateful to Ms Livingstone for her generous donation of a soprano saxophone and a trumpet. We are also thankful to Ms Marvin who has contributed a further trumpet to the school. These instruments will be put to excellent use by our pupils.

With another busy weekend ahead for many of our pupils, we wish everyone involved the very best of luck. I hope you all manage to find some time to rest and recharge.

With very best wishes,

Page updated

Report abuse