Senior musicians from Meldrum Academy perform a varied programme of classical and contemporary music featuring piano, clarinet, percussion, voice and strings.
Programme
Ramsay Tough: Piano: Highlights from Interstellar (Hans Zimmer)
Karina Boyd: Clarinet: Prelude from A Victorian Kitchen Garden (Paul Reade)
Jenna Mutten: Voice: The Last Rose of Summer (Benjamin Britten)
Millie Cooke: Piano: Nocturne No.4 Op.54 (Edvard Grieg)
Malvin Maruwana, Myles Maruwana, Alix Brechin, James Dickson and Euan Shaw: Violin and Violas: 4 Duets from the '44 Duos for Violin' (Bela Bartok)
(Transcribed for 2 Violas) 2. Maypole Dance, 14. Pillow Dance, 15. Soldier's Song & 26. Teasing Song
Katherine Lawrence: Clarinet: Romanza from Clarinet Sonata: Francis Poulancc
Linden Stewart: Piano: Scherzo from Piano Sonata No.2 in G: Beethoven
Lillian King: Voice: Art is Calling Me: Victor Herbert
Euan Shannon: Xylophone: Log Cabin Blues: George Hamilton Green
Andrew Watson: Piano: Bethena Rag: Scott Joplin
Accompanists
Russell Fraser
Hannah Hilton
Jamie Murray
Performer Information
Ramsay is in S4. As well as playing piano he is taught trumpet by Fabrizio Oddo. He is a valued member of the orchestra and concert band and is part of the European 2025 Music Tour. He is a member of Remastered one of the pupil led rock bands, where he plays drum kit, electric guitar and piano. The band frequently perform at local events including Meldrum Sports and in the community. He is working towards his Grade 6 Trumpet exam and has passed Grade 3 Theory with Distinction and Grade 2 Jazz Piano with Distinction. Ramsay is taught by Ian Milne.
Karina is in S4. She is taught clarinet by Hannah Hilton and recently passed her Grade 6 exam with Distinction. She is a valued member of the orchestra and concert band and is part of the European 2025 Music Tour. She regularly plays at events in the community as a soloist and as a duet partner for Katherine.
Jenna is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music. She is taught bassoon by Hannah Hilton, piano by Anne Woodward, and singing by Matthew Rose and Gillian Jack. She has passed Grade 5 Classical Singing with Merit, Grade 4 Piano and is working towards her Grade 5 Bassoon. She is a valued member of the orchestra, senior vocal group, and concert band. In her role as a Performing Arts Ambassador, she supports younger musicians in the school ensembles and helps plan events. Jenna is part of the European 2025 Music Tour and regularly takes part in community events. She has received an unconditional offer to study Music Education at Aberdeen University.
Millie is in S4 and is currently studying National 5 Music. She is taught piano by Ben Woodward and violin and viola by Zoë Davidson. She is a valued member of the orchestra, Fiddlestix and string ensemble. She recently passed her Grade 5 Theory exam with Merit and is currently working towards her Grade 6 exam in both Piano, Violin and Viola. She is the recipient of a scholarship from NESMS to study violin. Millie is a young leader with Aberdeenshire Youth Music Sessions and a member of the Inverurie Community Orchestra. She has performed at many community events and will be part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Malvin is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music. He is taught viola by Zoe Davidson and is a valued member of the senior vocal group, orchestra, string ensemble and ceilidh band Fiddlestix. In his role as a Performing Arts Ambassador he supports younger musicians in the school ensembles and in S3 Music Technology classes. He regularly plays at community events including performances at Kellockbank, ceilidhs and The Chester Hotel with for the European Tour Sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. He is part of the European 2025 Music Tour. On leaving school Malvin has secured a place at NESCol to study Music Technology.
Myles is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music and Higher Music Technology. He is taught viola by Zoe Davidson and is a valued member of the orchestra, string ensemble and ceilidh band Fiddlestix. He regularly plays at community events including performances at Kellockbank, ceilidhs and The Chester Hotel with for the European Tour Sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. He is part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Alix is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music. She is taught viola by Zoe Davidson and is a valued member of the senior vocal group, orchestra, string ensemble and ceilidh band Fiddlestix. In her role as a Performing Arts Ambassador she supports younger musicians in the school ensembles and helps plan events. She regularly plays and sings at community events including performances at Kellockbank, ceilidhs and The Chester Hotel with for the European Tour Sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. Alix is a young leader with Aberdeenshire Youth Music Sessions and a member of the Inverurie Community Orchestra. She is part of the European 2025 Music Tour. She has received an unconditional offer to study Music Education at Aberdeen University.
James is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music. He is taught violin by Zoe Davidson and is a valued member of the orchestra, string ensemble and ceilidh band Fiddlestix. James is working towards his Grade 6 Trinity Traditional Fiddle exam and is a member of the Ythan Fiddlers. He regularly plays at community events including performances at Kellockbank, ceilidhs and The Chester Hotel with for the European Tour Sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. He is part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Euan is in S6 and is currently studying Advanced Higher Music and Higher Music Technology. He is taught viola by Zoe Davidson and is a valued member of the orchestra, string ensemble and ceilidh band Fiddlestix. He regularly plays at community events including performances at Kellockbank, ceilidhs and The Chester Hotel with for the European Tour Sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. He is part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Katherine is in S4 and is taught clarinet by Hannah Hilton and saxophone by Ben Armstrong. She recently passed her Grade 6 Clarinet with Distinction. She is a valued member of the orchestra and concert band where she plays bass clarinet. She regularly plays at events in the community as a duet partner for Karina. Katherine is part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Linden is in S6 and is studying Advanced Higher music. She plays piano and is taught by Wilma Geddes she recently passed Grade 7 with Merit. She is taught clarinet by Rosie Milne and has passed Grade 8 with Distinction. Linden is the recipient of the Gladys Sangster Award from NESMS to study clarinet and she also has a scholarship to study piano. In her role as a Performing Arts Ambassador, she supports younger musicians in the school ensembles and helps plan events. She is part of the European 2025 Music Tour and is a valued member of the Orchestra and Concert band, Fiddlestix and various wind groups formed to play at community events.
Lillian is in S6 and is studying Advanced Higher Music. As well as singing, taught by Matthew Rose, Lillian is taught tenor saxophone by Hannah Hilton. She has passed Grade 5 Singing with Distinction and Grade 8 Musical Theatre Singing with Distinction. She is also the recipient of a scholarship from NESMS to study voice with Gillian Jack. She is a valued member of the orchestra and concert band. Lillian was the winner of the Meldrum Rotary Young Musician of the Year competition back in November. She is part of the 2025 European Music Tour. On leaving school Lillian plans to take a gap year studying Worship music in London followed by studying Social Anthropology at University.
Euan is in S4 and is taught orchestral percussion by Brodie McCash and bagpipes by Andrew Gray. He is a valued member of the orchestra, concert band, percussion ensemble and Meldrum Academy Pipe Band. He plays drum kit in a pupil let band called Hair Die. He recently passed Grade 5 Drum kit and Grade 5 Percussion with Merit. He is currently working towards Grade 7 Percussion. Euan is part of the European 2025 Music Tour.
Andrew is in S5 and is currently studying Higher Music and Higher Music Technology. He is taught double bass and ‘cello by Sarah Neil and piano by Anna Hay. He recently passed Grade 7 Piano with Distinction and Grade 6 Double Bass with Distinction. Andrew is the recipient of a scholarship from NESMS to study piano with Nigel Clayton. He is a member of the school orchestra and string ensemble He is a member of NYOS where is plays double bass. He is part of the European 2025 Music Tour. When Andrew leaves school he plans to study music at University.
About us
Meldrum Academy is one of seventeen secondary schools in Aberdeenshire, situated in the town of Oldmeldrum. The current school roll is 1031.
The Performing Arts Faculty is Linda Moggach (Principal Teacher - Music), Russell Fraser (Music), Jamie Murray (Music), and John Paterson (Drama). Within the faculty, pupils can study Music, Music Technology, and Drama. The faculty has support from nine Aberdeenshire Instrumental Music staff who visit the school on a weekly basis to provide free tuition. They are as follows: Andrew Gray (Bagpipes), Brodie McCash (Percussion), Dawn Smith (Piano), Fabrizio Oddo (Brass), Hannah Hilton (Woodwind), Kat Cahil (Lower Strings), Nicky Gibson (Pipe Band Snare Drum), Paul Holroyd (Guitar), and ZoëDavidson (Upper Strings).
The school is extremely proud of its musicians and there are many extracurricular groups that meet and rehearse on a weekly basis: Orchestra, Concert Band, Fiddlestix, Pipe Band, Junior Vocal Group, Senior Vocal Group, Guitar Ensemble, String Ensemble, Ukulele Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Highland Dancers, Pupil-led Rock Groups, and Drama Club. At present there are over 130 pupils taking part in these ensembles.
Each year the faculty stage a Christmas and Summer Concert. As well as performances in school, many groups perform at community events. Some of which included the Pipe Band and Fiddlestix, performing at ‘Apple Sunday’ in Pitmedden Garden. One of the Rock Bands playing in HMV. The Concert Band, Choir, and the Pipe Band providing music for switching on the Christmas Lights in Oldmeldrum. String and Wind Ensembles and the Vocal Group visited Kellockbank Garden Centre to provide Christmas Music. Musicians worked in partnership with His Majesty’s Band of the Royal Marines Scotland to perform a concert of music at Meldrum Academy. Senior musicians provided music for Oldmeldrum and District Rotary Club’s 25th Anniversary dinner. The Rotary Club run their Young Musician of the Year competition which was won by Andrew Watson (piano) and Lillian King (voice). Fiddlestix performed at ceilidhs in the community in local primary schools. They also provided music for an event at The Chester Hotel for the Music Tour sponsor Medical and Dental Financial Planners. The Pipe Band will be playing at Newburgh Gala on the 17th May and on the 22nd June will be playing at Meldrum Sports. On the 8th June the 70 musicians going on tour will perform a Farewell Concert in Inverurie Town Hall to showcase the music they will perform in their concerts. On the 26th June, 70 musicians will undertake a weeklong European Tour visiting Holland, Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium. Concerts will take place in Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium, Vaals in Holland, Monschau and Aachen in Germany and in Luxembourg City.
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