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Welcome to Week 7
Welcome to the penultimate Shout of the term! It has been another busy and varied week, with our pupils sharing their music in all sorts of settings. As always, a huge thank you to our staff, tutors, parents and supporters for helping to make such an exciting programme of events possible.
Open Morning
Open Morning
Sunday morning brought our annual Open Morning, with a packed MPA enjoying an introduction to ACMS through words and music.
Performances by Heather, Petra, James, Aida and Janine, alongside our jazz musicians, gave prospective families a wonderful flavour of the music we make here. These musical interludes punctuated information about daily life at ACMS, our musical expectations, Dyce Academy and the opportunities available at a specialist music school.
Our pupils then did an outstanding job of showing families around the school and answering their questions. It was a pleasure to see them engaging so warmly and confidently with our visitors. They are excellent ambassadors for ACMS.
The morning finished with tea, coffee and biscuits, and an opportunity for families to chat with staff, tutors, parents and pupils. We are grateful to the parents who gave up their Sunday morning to serve refreshments and share their experiences with prospective families.
My thanks also go to Elaine and Annette for organising and running the morning, and to Katie Arthur for joining us and contributing her time. It was a wonderful opportunity to share the life of ACMS and celebrate the people who make it such a special place.
Performer of the Year Prizewinners’ Recital
Performer of the Year Prizewinners’ Recital
Congratulations to Heather and Petra on their stunning performances at last Saturday’s Recital at Noon at St Andrew’s Cathedral. As ACMS’s Junior and Senior Performer of the Year award winners, they each presented a solo programme that held the audience spellbound.
Heather’s harp programme took us from the delicate beauty of Hasselmans and Britten to the irresistible energy of the Star Wars Cantina Band. Petra followed at the piano with Bach, Mozart and Chopin, bringing the recital to a beautiful close.
Thank you to St Andrew’s Cathedral for welcoming our young musicians, and to everyone who came along to support them. What a lovely way to spend a Saturday lunchtime!
Specialist Weekend 2
Specialist Weekend 2
Our second specialist weekend got off to an unusually Christmassy start for the final weekend in September! Preparations for our Christmas Concert on 16 December are now well underway, and anyone working late at Dyce Academy on Friday afternoon may have found themselves humming a carol on the journey home.
After Sunday’s Open Morning, we returned to our festive repertoire. With parts allocated, it was useful to become familiar with the music and begin preparing well in advance. The Christmas spirit may take a little longer to arrive, but the notes are already on their way!
With visitors joining us for the Open Morning, the dress theme for Sunday was smart casual. Our pupils embraced the brief splendidly, with some particularly memorable interpretations. Special mentions go to Conrad and Oliver, while the prize for “Best Interpretation of Smart Casual” goes to Szymon for his outstanding shirt, smart trousers, waistcoat and tie combination. Bravo, Szymon!
Heather and Emma Out and About
Last Saturday morning, Heather and Emma performed at Beannachar Camphill Community’s Open Day as part of the Harps Accord Ensemble, the North East Branch of the Clarsach Society.
Later that day, Heather joined fellow musicians for a folk session at the Aberdeen Arms as part of the Tarland Food and Music Festival. She received a warm welcome from the experienced musicians taking part, making it both an enjoyable afternoon and a valuable opportunity to learn.
It is lovely to see our pupils making the most of opportunities to share their music and meet other musicians beyond school.
Music and Mocktails
Congratulations to our young jazz musicians on a fantastic set at the University of Aberdeen’s Music and Mocktails event at St Machar’s Cathedral!
There was a wonderful turnout, and our pupils had been invited to provide music while students met and mingled. It was a lovely surprise to see the whole room settle down to watch and listen to our musicians in full flow.
The appreciative audience enjoyed music by Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris, Charlie Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, alongside favourites from the American Songbook.
Thank you to St Machar’s Cathedral for hosting us so warmly. We hope to return soon!
S6 Spotlight Award
Congratulations to Jett, who has been chosen by our S6 pupils to receive this week’s Spotlight Award! Jett contributes much to life at ACMS through playing, thoughtful preparation, positive attitude and leadership. It is particularly lovely to see these qualities recognised and celebrated by his peers. Well done, Jett, and thank you for all that you bring to our school community!
Evensong at St Andrew’s
It is always a pleasure to receive such a warm welcome from the choir of St Andrew’s Cathedral.
Our vocalists rounded off a busy specialist weekend with a full rehearsal alongside the cathedral choir, followed by a service of Evensong. The combined choirs were on sparkling form and looked splendid in their red cassocks.
The service featured music by Stanford, Ayleward, Walmisley and Dering, alongside Psalm 148. It was a beautiful and uplifting way to bring a busy weekend to a close.
Coming Up
End-of-Term Concert
End-of-Term Concert
Join the wonderful young musicians of Aberdeen City Music School for the first end-of-term concert of our 25th anniversary year! 🎶
📅 Thursday 8 October 2026
🕡 6.30 pm
📍 MPA, Dyce Academy
Following a remarkable few weeks of performances at Crathie Kirk, St Margaret’s, Braemar, Westminster Abbey and the City of Edinburgh Music School, our pupils will return to Dyce Academy for an evening featuring music from Bach to Bacharach, with much more besides. 🎻🎹🎤
🎟 Admission is free, with a retiring collection.
Places are limited, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
25th Anniversary Christmas Concert
25th Anniversary Christmas Concert
Our Christmas Concert has a new home this year! 🎄✨
Join us for the Aberdeen City Music School 25th Anniversary Christmas Concert:
📅 Wednesday 16 December 2026
🕡 6.30 pm
📍 King’s Church, Bridge of Don
Celebrate the festive season with the extraordinary young musicians of ACMS, one of Scotland’s national Centres of Excellence in Music.
Expect an enchanting evening of Christmas favourites, festive entertainment and plenty of opportunities to sing along. Bring the whole family and share in the magic of this special anniversary celebration! 🎶🌟
🎟 Admission is free
❤️ Donations are warmly welcomed
Click HERE to book your place
Please note this year’s change of venue and save the date!
Thank you, as always, to everyone who has contributed to another wonderful week. There has been much to celebrate, from beautiful solo performances to spirited ensemble playing, warm welcomes and some impressively smart outfits!
I hope to see many of you at the End of Term Concert.
Have a wonderful weekend.
KK
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