In the 1950’s, instrumental music lessons were offered to pupils in senior schools only, by one music instructor named Walter Schoener who was often seen cycling between schools with various instruments strapped to his back, as he played and taught a multitude of musical instruments.
This fledgling service soon added more instructors including Bill Spittle (woodwind), Andrew Davidson and Peddie Willox (both violin), and it was decided that instrumental tuition should now also be extended to junior schools.
During this time the Aberdeen City Music Centre was established by John Dalby, the so-called “Superintendent of Music”. Initially comprised of a single orchestra and military band, rehearsals began at St Paul’s Street School.
During the 60’s and 70’s the Music Service and its team of instructors expanded exponentially; when comprehensive education was nationally introduced it was able to offer instrumental tuition in every secondary school in the city.
On 23rd April, 1967 the first Music Centre Concert took place. After four days rehearsal at Gorebridge, Midlothian nearly two hundred pupils joined staff to participate in this inaugural event, held at the Music Hall.
In 1968, the Evening Express and Music Service collaborated to host an Evening Express Carol Concert. This became an annual event and recently celebrated its 50th year of existence; it has now raised thousands of pounds for local charities across the City.
In 1974, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray combined to create the Grampian Regional Council Music Service. Initially managed by Andrew Davidson, staff members at this time included such notable local musicians as Bryan Dargie and Malcolm Bolton (violin), Morag Easton and Ken McLeod (cello), Sandy Cuthill and Eddie Paley (brass), Shaun Dillon and Norman Moy (woodwind), Ron Forbes and Ralph Sharp (percussion), and Douglas Haston (Recorder) amongst many others.
The Music Centre flourished and young musicians from across the North-East of Scotland were bussed in and out of Aberdeen every Saturday morning to participate. The rehearsals at Gorebridge, Midlothian which had preceded the first Music Centre concert in 1967 now became an annual Easter residential trip.
Under the direction of Graham Wiseman, the Grampian Schools Orchestra gained a reputation for its high quality of music and, due to the high demand to join, pupils were required to audition for the orchestra.
Every summer, a week long residential course took place at Mackie Academy just before concerts at the Music Hall, and tours were organised by Music Centre group across the world including America, France, Germany, Norway, Zimbabwe and Belarus.
At Kincorth Academy during the 70’s and 80’s a renaissance group named the Kincorth Waits played on authentic instruments, many of which were made by Charles Foster, the groups leader. These attracted the attention of the general public, and the Waits performed in the USSR, the Royal Albert Hall, and on TV’s Blue Peter.
Ron Forbes’ percussion ensemble, which began at Cults Academy, earned a national reputation for popularising this sort of group, which included the famous multi-percussionist Evelyn Glennie in its ranks.
In 1996, Grampian Council was divided back again into the council areas of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray, and in 1998 Ken Mcleod became Aberdeen City Music Coordinator. In that position he raised sponsorship for an ‘Aberdeen Young Musician of the Year’ competition. Pupils performed to an audience with the winner receiving a cash prize of £1000, alongside the opportunity of a solo performance with the Music Centre Youth Orchestra. The contest sparked interest from many pupils and many of the competition winners went on to play professionally throughout the UK.
In recent years the Aberdeen Grammar Schools Concert Band has set high standards for all school bands in the country to aspire to, and achieved many gold and platinum awards in festivals throughout Scotland and the UK.
Since 2003 when the fund was set up, Aberdeen City has received funding for Youth Music Initiative Formula Fund projects (YMI). Administered by Creative Scotland,YMI is a Scottish Government music education programme with a vision to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning.In Aberdeen every pupil is offered a free year of tuition before they leave primary school through accessing a whole class instrumental or vocal project.
After over 60 years, the work of the Aberdeen City Music Service carries on, always striving to enhance, through music, the education and personal development of Aberdeen’s children.