Friday 29th May 2026 (119)

Dear All,

It has been wonderful to have everyone back after a lengthy period of external examinations. The school has quickly returned to its usual busy rhythm, and it has been lovely to see pupils once again fully immersed in rehearsals, lessons and preparations for what promises to be a very exciting few weeks ahead.

Specialist Weekend 9

Next weekend marks our final specialist weekend of the academic year.

We will meet on Friday 5 June immediately after school from 2.45pm until 5.15pm for our final rehearsals ahead of the Haddo House performances.

Sunday promises to be one of the highlights of the year. Pupils will travel to Haddo House and take part in 14 concerts across a variety of beautiful venues throughout the estate. It will be a fantastic opportunity for our young musicians to perform in a wide range of styles and settings across the day.

All concerts are included within normal admission to Haddo House and are free to National Trust for Scotland members, so please do come along if you are able and support our pupils.

As Sunday will be a particularly busy and demanding day, ACMS will have an early closure on Monday 8 June, with pupils finishing immediately after school at 3.45pm.

Atholl Gathering

Congratulations to our three pipers for competing at the Atholl Gathering in the Under 18 category.

The weather was kind, the crowds were enthusiastic, and the supportive atmosphere is a good demonstration of why the piping world is such a special community. Win or lose, there was plenty of encouragement, camaraderie and friendship on display throughout the day.

A huge well done to all three pupils for their efforts and commitment. Kai and Ruben also have another major competition coming up this weekend, and we wish them every success.

Do also look out for our Bagpipes and Friends Courtyard Concert at Haddo House on Sunday 7 June at 2.30pm. This special 45-minute performance forms part of both Haddo House's Courtyard Concert Series and ACMS's Heritage and New Horizons music day.

NESPA Competition

Next week is one of the busiest in the musical calendar as pupils take part in the annual NESPA Competition.

Many of our pupils will be competing as soloists, while others will be performing as members of ensembles. There will be a great deal of travelling between school and venues across Aberdeen City and Shire throughout the week.

We wish every participant the very best of luck.

A special thank you must also go to parents, carers and families. The scale of the competition means it is not possible to organise participation as a formal ACMS trip, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who gives up their time to transport pupils between venues and support them throughout the week.

School Photograph

A reminder that our annual ACMS school photograph will take place at 4.00pm on Thursday 4 June.

We are aware that a small number of pupils will be competing elsewhere that afternoon, and we are very grateful for their efforts to return as quickly as possible to be included.

Please ensure pupils are presented as smartly as possible for the photograph.

Dyce Community Centre Lunch Club

We wish all of our pupils involved in the Dyce Community Centre Lunch Club Concert this Wednesday the very best of luck.

This has become a regular and much-loved fixture in the ACMS calendar, providing a wonderful opportunity for our musicians to perform for an appreciative audience and strengthen our links with the local community.

Heritage and New Horizons at Haddo House

We are very excited to present Heritage and New Horizons at Haddo House on Sunday 7 June.

Across the day, ACMS pupils will give fourteen performances showcasing the remarkable breadth of music-making that takes place within the school.

Performance Schedule

11.00am

* Solo Recital 1 (Hall)

* Solo Recital 2 (Peat Yards)

11.30am

* Solo Recital 3 (Library)

12.00 noon

* Summer Jazz (Peat Yards)

* Mozart Arias (Drawing Room)

1.00pm

* Clarsach and Friends (Game Larder)

* Piano Recital 1 (Library)

2.00pm

* Chamber Music 1 (Drawing Room)

* Jazz Piano and Friends (Hall)

2.30pm

* Bagpipes and Friends Courtyard Concert (Lawn)

3.00pm

* Piano Recital 2 (Hall)

* Chamber Music 2 (Library)

4.00pm

* Traditional Music Group (Hall)

6.00pm

* Evensong (Tickets must be booked separately through Haddo House)

Please find the full programme HERE

All concerts are included within normal admission to Haddo House and are free to National Trust for Scotland members. Most performances last approximately 30 minutes, with the Bagpipes and Friends Courtyard Concert lasting around 45 minutes.

We very much hope to see many of you there for what promises to be a memorable celebration of our pupils and their music-making.

Aberdeen Big Sing and Play 2026

I was delighted to attend the Aberdeen Big Sing and Play 2026 at Duthie Park on Wednesday.

Having attended this event for several years, it has been inspiring to watch it grow into such a large-scale, polished and professionally delivered celebration of music-making.

More than 3,000 Primary 4 pupils from across Aberdeen came together to sing and perform. This year's event also featured collaborations with musicians from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Aberdeen City Council's Music Service and Robert Gordon's College.

The Music Service worked in partnership with the RSNO and Charanga to deliver the event, with learning supported through the Scottish Government's Youth Music Initiative via Creative Scotland.

The afternoon began with the stirring sound of bagpipes before moving through a wonderful programme featuring school singing, instrumental ensembles, the Music Service Rock Band, Scottish dancing and traditional music.

One particularly special moment was hearing the final piece of the day, written by Clara-Jane Maunder for last summer's Tall Ships celebrations. Many of us will remember performing this work at the Beach Ballroom in March, and it was wonderful to hear it performed once again, featuring an outstanding young vocal soloist.

Congratulations to everyone involved in what was an exceptional event.

Thank you all for another excellent week. Have a wonderful weekend.

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