Friday 28th Aug 2026

Dear All,

Here we are at the end of our second week, and it has been another exciting one at ACMS.

As I write, we are preparing for our first Specialist Weekend rehearsal of the year. This afternoon, we will be running through the repertoire for our two performances on Sunday.

We have an early start on Sunday morning, followed by a full day of music-making at two wonderful venues. It is an ambitious undertaking after only two weeks back at school, and I would like to thank all our pupils and staff for their focus, commitment and hard work. We are very much looking forward to the day.

Westminster Abbey

What a wonderful moment in the history of ACMS!

Douglas, Lewis and Athena travelled to London last Friday to join the Choir of St Edward the Confessor, Romford, for a service of Choral Evensong at Westminster Abbey.

Our three pupils had the privilege of singing in one of the world’s most celebrated churches. Westminster Abbey has been the setting for the coronation of English, and later British, Monarchs since William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066. To perform in a building where generations of monarchs, musicians, poets and national figures have been remembered was an unforgettable experience.

The pupils rehearsed throughout the afternoon, first in a rehearsal room within the Abbey’s cloisters and then in the Abbey itself, before taking part in the service.

Whilst in London, there were also opportunities to attend a BBC Prom at the Royal Albert Hall and enjoy some sightseeing, including visits to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Covent Garden and the Royal Opera House, the Royal College of Music, King's College London, and St Paul's Cathedral.

A huge thank you to the choir of St Andrew's Cathedral, Richard Coleman, Andrew Morrison and the Choir of St Edward the Confessor, Romford for creating this fantastic opportunity. It was a special occasion and an experience that they will remember for many years to come.

Piano Masterclass

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of piano music at ACMS this week.

Our senior pianists took part in an inspiring masterclass led by pianist and composer Lliam Paterson, himself a former pupil of Aberdeen City Music School.

Lewis, Petra, Eddie and Janine performed an impressively varied programme, ranging from Bach, Grieg and Chopin to Joe Hisaishi’s evocative Il Porco Rosso. Each pupil received thoughtful, practical and encouraging guidance from Lliam as they explored technique, interpretation, musical character and the art of communicating with an audience.

It was fascinating to hear each performance develop during the session and to see our young musicians responding so positively to Lliam’s ideas.

A huge well done to all four pianists for performing with confidence and openness, and our warmest thanks to Lliam for sharing his insight, experience and musicianship with us.

S6 Spotlight Award

This year, we are introducing a new weekly award at ACMS.

Each week, our S6 pupils will highlight something noteworthy that they have observed. It could be a performance, a moment of bravery or kindness, an excellent contribution to a rehearsal, or a significant personal achievement.

At the end of each week, our five S6 pupils will meet to decide who should receive the trophy, which will then be presented at Monday evening’s assembly.

This is a lovely opportunity for our S6 pupils to develop their leadership responsibilities, to think as leaders within the school and to model positive leadership for our younger pupils.

The first-ever S6 Spotlight Award was presented to Szymon. During his very first week in S1, he impressed our senior pupils with his “excellent attitude in rehearsals” and for “being confident and unafraid to ask questions”.

Congratulations, Szymon. What a wonderful start to your time at ACMS!

A Summer of Music - Part 2

Last week, we shared some of the musical experiences our pupils enjoyed during the summer holidays. Here is the continuation of our round-up by celebrating the exciting and varied musical adventures of a few more ACMS pupils.

Heather and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra

Heather also enjoyed a busy and musical summer, part of which was spent attending the harp summer school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

She then had a wonderful week as a member of the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, culminating in two performances at Greyfriars Kirk.

It is lovely to see our pupils making music, meeting new friends and gaining experience with other talented young musicians during the holidays. Well done, Heather!

Reuben’s Summer of Piping

Reuben enjoyed an exciting and musical summer, beginning with a new set of pipes!

He had a particularly busy holiday and entered the St Andrews Highland Games, performing his march, strathspey and reel, as well as a jig. He also had the opportunity to work alongside a fellow piper from Australia who was visiting Scotland as part of the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band’s tour.

Reuben also played at St Andrews Golf Course and was one of several ACMS pupils who gained valuable experience through street performances across Scotland during the summer.

The pipes even accompanied him on holiday to Fuerteventura, where he entertained the locals. ACMS truly went international this summer!

James at the RCS

James had a fantastic time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Accordion Summer School at the end of July and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Unfortunately, the combined challenges of car parking and escaping Glasgow at Friday teatime meant that a photograph was not possible! We have therefore included a lovely picture of James from earlier in the year.

Sophia’s Summer of Strings

Sophia had an exciting summer attending Strings Week at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

She loved the experience, made a huge amount of musical progress and formed new friendships along the way. A particular highlight was the opportunity to perform a solo towards the end of the course.

Sophia also made excellent use of her lunch breaks by going busking in Glasgow city centre with some of her new friends. Well done, Sophia, on embracing every opportunity!

Performance at Mr Farquhar’s Wedding

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Farquhar, who were married near the beginning of the summer holidays.

Many of you will know Mr Farquhar as a much-loved teacher of English at Dyce Academy. He and Mrs Farquhar wanted a saxophonist to perform during their wedding ceremony, and Athena was delighted to oblige.

We are very grateful to Mr and Mrs Farquhar for their generous donation to ACMS, which will help towards the costs of our forthcoming 25th anniversary concerts. We wish them every happiness for their future together.

Parents’ Committee Meeting

A reminder that our next Parents’ Committee meeting will take place at 6.30 pm on Thurs 3 September.

Early Closing on Monday

A little reminder that ACMS closes early on the Monday following a Specialist Weekend.

After such a long and busy day on Sunday, ACMS will close at 5.00 pm on Monday. Boarders will have supper as usual and an evening activity has been planned for them, but all other pupils should leave ACMS at 5.00 pm.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this another fantastic week at ACMS. I look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday.

Until then, have a lovely and restful weekend.

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