Friday 24th Apr 2026 (114)

Dear all,

Week two of the summer term has been a lively and rewarding one. It's been exciting to welcome back pupils who have been away on courses and to hear them sharing their experiences with others across the school. There's been a great deal going on, so here is a snapshot of the week.

Lieder Recital

We enjoyed a wonderful Lieder Recital last night.

It was a fantastic evening of music-making, with pupils performing with great care and musical understanding. Their introductions and explanations of the texts added depth and helped bring each piece vividly to life. 👏

We were also treated to two lovely instrumental interludes, which added variety and colour to the programme. 🎻🎹

A huge thank you to Mrs Kyle for her superb accompanying, to Dr Milne for her inspiring work with our singers, and to Mr Maunder for his expert guidance of our instrumentalists. 🙌

Public Exams

Good luck to all pupils preparing for their public examinations. Study leave began this week, and many have their first exam on Monday.

It has been a pleasure to see how thoughtfully and maturely pupils are managing this period. Balancing instrumental lessons, ensemble rehearsals, revision, and examinations is no easy task, yet so many are doing so with care and confidence. The ability to organise complex schedules, communicate when support is needed, and maintain a sense of perspective is a hugely valuable life skill. It is encouraging to see this continue to develop so strongly across the school.

We wish everyone the very best for the days ahead.

Parents’ Committee Evening

Thank you to all parents who attended the meeting on Tuesday, both in person and online. It was a valuable opportunity to reflect on the term just passed and to look ahead to the remainder of the year.

Particularly lovely was the time afterwards in the library, where many stayed on to chat informally. It was a pleasure to see parents connecting, sharing experiences, and enjoying some relaxed social time together.

🎻✨ Inverurie String Ensemble Day ✨🎻

Congratulations to Douglas, Isabelle, and Oliver, who took part in the Inverurie Music String Ensemble Day at Kemnay Church Centre, led by Aaron McGregor.

They performed a varied and exciting programme including works by Felix Mendelssohn, Cedric Thorpe Davie, and Thomas Erskine.

An inspiring and enjoyable day of music-making. Well done to all involved. 🌟

Visit from Education Scotland

We were delighted to welcome Caroline Dickov, National Advisor for Expressive Arts at Education Scotland, to ACMS this week.

Caroline spent the day gaining a sense of life at the school. A group of pupils led a tour, followed by an engaging question and answer session alongside a series of short performances. This gave pupils the opportunity not only to perform, but also to ask thoughtful questions about Caroline’s role, while she in turn explored their experiences and aspirations.

She also spent time speaking with staff, observed a fascinating music history lesson with Mr Maunder on Russian composers, and joined us for assembly, where she experienced our daily notices and post-assembly aural and singing work.

Fortuitously, her visit coincided with our Lieder Recital, followed by an informal concert later in the evening, allowing her to see the breadth of performance opportunities available to pupils.

We are very grateful to Caroline for taking the time to visit and engage so fully with the school. We hope to welcome her again in the future.

🎶✨ Edinburgh Youth Orchestra Ensembles Course ✨🎶

Congratulations to Hugh and Alaina, who recently attended the Youth Orchestra Ensembles Course at George Watson’s College.

Over four days, they worked with excellent tutors and fellow musicians, developing their skills and confidence before performing in a final concert for family and friends.

A wonderful experience and a significant musical opportunity. Very well done to both. 🌟

🎶✨ Sophie – National Youth Choir of Scotland ✨🎶

Congratulations to Sophie, who has just completed a one-week residential course with the National Youth Choir of Scotland Girls’ Choir.

A week of intensive rehearsals led to two performances, culminating in a beautiful final concert at St Cuthbert’s Church.

An inspiring opportunity to work at a high level, collaborate with like-minded musicians, and build lasting friendships. Particularly exciting is Sophie’s work on A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, which we look forward to performing at ACMS later this year.

Piano Duo Day at NESMS

We’re delighted to share that North East of Scotland Music School (NESMS), with whom we enjoy a close and longstanding relationship, is hosting a Piano Duo Day on Saturday 16 May. The day will include duet lessons from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and again from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm, alongside a four-hand piano workshop from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm. The event will conclude with an informal student recital from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm, offering a lovely opportunity to share your work.

For further information and to sign up, please follow the link HERE.

Aberdeen Bach Choir Concert

The Aberdeen Bach Choir is putting on a special concert as part of its 70th year anniversary, A Celebration of Choral Favourites. The programme will include music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Gerald Finzi, Benjamin Britten and Anton Bruckner.

The concert takes place tomorrow (Saturday 25 April) at 7:30 pm at St Machar’s Cathedral, and is free for under 18s. It promises to be a wonderful evening of music making, so do pop along if you are able.

ACMS at Haddo House

As mentioned at the Parents’ Committee meeting on Tuesday, ACMS is delighted to be presenting a series of concerts at Haddo House on Sunday 7 June 2026. I am very grateful to our long-time friend and supporter Roger Williams, as well as the teams at Haddo Arts and Haddo House, for all their work in helping us bring together what promises to be a special day.

Across the day, ACMS pupils will present a remarkable programme of 14 performances, including solo recitals, a selection of Mozart arias, chamber music, traditional music, Highland bagpipe performances, and jazz. The day will conclude with a service of Evensong in the Haddo House Chapel.

An exciting day lies ahead!

Thank you all for another excellent week at ACMS.

Wishing the very best of luck to those sitting exams, and I hope everyone has a restful and enjoyable weekend.

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