The acknowledgement slip asks you to send any corrections to the PO Box.  However, it will be much quicker for you (and us) if you can email any changes/corrections to enquiries@aberdeenmusicfestival.com.

Welcome to the Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Festival’s website, and a special hello if we have not met before!

2012 is an exciting year for us after 103 years of promoting music and performance skills in the north east. We look forward in these challenging times to bringing together musicians, singers and dancers from all over the north east and beyond.

Festival events begin by making the city’s toes tap at the Scottish Country Dance Section which takes place in the Music Hall on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th March. To wind up these competitions, the Festival Dance takes place on Saturday 17th March from 7.30pm – 11pm at Ruthrieston West Church, Broomhill Road.  More information is available from Lesley Martin (see Scottish Country Dancing in syllabus).

The Music and Speech and Drama Sections have had to be brought forward to the week beginning 28th May as the UK celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee during our usual first week in June, and there will be a national holiday. We hope this will not deter you from entering!

We really hope we have something for everyone and have lined up an exciting panel of professional adjudicators to offer advice and opportunity to competitors of all standards. No one leaves empty handed as each competitor receives a certificate and adjudication sheet and there are 87 trophies to compete for.

There are also substantial bursaries to be awarded in the Piano and Vocal sections as well as many small cash prizes. For winning singers, the opportunity to receive tuition in master classes run by the Aberdeen International Youth Festival under the Mary Garden Opera placements scheme or to play in an Up Close and Musical Concert are added incentives.

Do look up the Syllabus now, enter by Friday 12th March, and I’ll look forward to seeing you!

Group Music Making, Percussion, Guitar, Composition and Family classes will be timetabled as space allows.

The Speech and Drama section of the Festival will take place on Thursday 31st May and Friday 1st June.

The syllabus can be accessed here, or from the drop-down menu above.

A printable entry form is available here.

NOTES:

Please read the syllabus carefully, a number of changes have been made to the rules and many of the sections.

This year’s Brass classes will run in the late afternoon (from 4pm) and evenings only.

The closing date for entries is Monday 12 March.  Entries received between this date and Monday 19 March will be accepted on payment of double the entry fee.  Entries received after Monday 19 March will not be accepted under any circumstances – See entry form.

The Scottish Country Dance Festival takes place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th March in the Music Hall.

The Festival Dance takes place on Saturday 17 March at Ruthrieston West Church Hall, Broomhill Road, Aberdeen (7.30-11pm, entry by ticket only).

The 2012 Festival will run from 28th May to 1st June.  The 2013 Festival will run from 3rd to 7th June.

The earlier time in 2012 has been chosen to take account of the public holidays for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which fall at the beginning of the week when we would normally have had the Festival. We are sorry that the earlier time may be more difficult for some people but hope that those who are keen to enter will find a way to do so.