Performances 1956 - 1969

The reconstituted Aberdeen Bach Choir had its first performance on 27 May 1956 in the Mitchell Hall of the University of Aberdeen, performing the J.S. Bach Mass in b minor which had been the first Bach work performed in Aberdeen in 1912. Willan Swainson, Master of University Music in Aberdeen, was the conductor for this first performance and the following three performances up to April 1957. Mr Swainson, who was born in Harrogate, was appointed Lecturer in Music at the University of Aberdeen on 14 July 1925, having first come to Aberdeen in 1916 to succeed Warren T. Clemens as organist and choirmaster of Queen's Cross United Free Church, and as conductor of the original Aberdeen Bach Choir.

Willan Swainson was succeeded later in 1957 by another Yorkshireman, John Dalby, Music Director of Aberdeen Education Authority, and past organist at St. Machar's Cathdral, who conducted the Choir with one break until the April 1962 concert.

Graham Wiseman, Principal Teacher of Music at Inverurie Academy, took over, having previously conducted the Choir for the November 1960 performance in St Mary's Church, Carden Place and having shared conducting duties with John Dalby the following November. Graham had been succeeded as organist at St. Machar's Cathedral by David Murray, Head of Music at St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen, and David in turn succeeded Graham as Conductor of Aberdeen Bach Choir for three performances in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

Date	Venue	Work(s)	Cond.	Soloists
27 May 1956	Mitchell Hall	Mass in B minor - Bach	WS	Thelma Godfrey Pamela Bowden Wllfred Brown Richard Standen
17 Dec 1956	St. Machar's	Christmas Oratorio - Bach	WS	Margaret Innes Margaret Pritchard Thomas Michie Locke Nicholson
6 Jan 1957	East Church Banchory	Christmas Oratorio - Bach	WS	Margaret Innes Margaret Pritchard Thomas Michie Locke Nicholson
3 Apr 1957	East & Belmont Church Schoolhill	Requiem - Mozart Cantata BWV34 - Bach Benedicité- R.V Williams	WS	Jean Arthur Doris Brebner Margaret Pritchard Thomas Michle
18 Dec 1957	St. Machars	Christmas Oratorio - Bach	JD	Grace Mclntosh Margaret Pritchard Thomas Michie Locke Nicholson
17 Mar 1958	Cowdray Hall	Magnificat - Bach Stabat Mater - Verdi Psalm 100 - R. V Williams	JD	Jean Downie Jean Arthur Evelyn Saren William Sinclair David McDonald
12 Nov 1958	Queen's Cross Church	German Requiem - Brahms	JD	Grace McIntosh James Kelman
17 Dec 1958	St. Machars	Christmas Oratorio - Bach	JD	Marie Mutch Margaret Pritchard John Wilson David McDonald James Kelman
25 Mar 1959	St. Andrew's	St. Matthew Passion - Bach	JD	Grace Mclntosh Evelyn Saren Eric Barnes John Wilson
11 Nov 1959	Cowdray Hall	Cantata BWV140 - Bach Dona nobis pacem - R. V Williams	JD	Grace Mclntosh James Kelman
30 Mar 1960	St. Andrew's	St. Matthew Passion - Bach	JD	Grace Mclntosh Margaret Pritchard Davld Galliver John Wilson James Kelman
9 Nov 1960	St. Mary's Church Carden Place	My spirit was in heaviness Requiem - Fauré Toward the unknown region - R. V Williams	GW	Winifred Emslie Margaret Pritchard Ray Thomson Locke Nicholson
21 Dec 1960	St. Andrew's	Christmas Oratorio - Bach	JD	Winifred Emslie Evelyn Saren John Wilson James Kelman
1 May 1961	Holburn West Church	Petite Messe Solennelle - Rossini	JD	Norma Simpson Helen Cochrane Trefor Jones Ronald Morrison
22 Nov 1961	St. Machar's	Cantata BWV61 - Bach St. Nicolas - Britten	JD/GW	Grace Mclntosh Wilfred Brown James Kelman
4 Apr 1962	St.Andrew's	St. Matthew Passion - Bach	JD	Jean Murray-Smith Helen Cochrane Edgar Fleet John Wilson James Kelman
7 Nov 1962	Cowdray Hall	Cantata BWV39 - Bach Pastoral (Lie strewn white flocks) - Bliss	GW	Jean Murray-Smith Marion Fordyce James Kelman
24 Mar 1963	St. Andrew's	St. Matthew Passion - Bach	GW	Alexander Young James Kelman Grace McIntosh Jean McRae David Haggart Ronald Morrison
10 Nov 1963	St. Machar's	Mass for 4 voices - Byrd Motet No.3 Jesu meine Freude - Bach	GW
8 Dec 1963	St. Andrew's Inverurie	Hodie Christus natus est - A Christmas Sequence Motet No.3 Jesu meine Freude - Bach	GW
31 May 1964	St. Machar's	Cantata BWV34 - Bach Three sacred part-songs Cantata BWV11 - Bach	GW	Jean Murray-Smith Helen Cochrane David Haggart James Kelman
13 Dec 1964	Cowdray Hall	Carols for choir orchestra and audience	GW	Alison Maitland
28 Mar 1965	St.Machar's	St. John Pass1on - Bach	GW	Alexander Young James Marion Milford Helen Cochrane James Griffett Raymond Aspin
21 Nov 1965	Mitchell Hall	Ode for St. Cecilia's Day 1683 - Purcell Cantata Academica - Britten [combined with Aberdeen University Choral Society]	GW	Pat Macmahon Helen Cochrane Wilfred Brown James Kelman
19 Dec 1965	Cowdray Hall	Carols for choir orchestra and audience	GW	Jean Murray-Smith Marion Fordyce David Haggart James Kelman
20 Mar 1966	St. Machar's	Beatus Vir - Monteverdi Missa Brevis - Buxtehude Jesu joy and treasure - Buxtehude Missa Aedis Christi - Howells	GW
18 Dec 1966	Queen's Cross Church	Carols St. Nicholas - Britten	GW	Wilfred Brown
12 Mar 1967	St. Machar's	St. Matthew Passion - Bach	GW	Philip Langridge James Kelman Pat Macmahon Clifford Hughes Harry Stevenson
10 Dec 1967	St. Machar's	Cantata BWV61 - Bach Messe de Minuit - Charpentier	DM	Linda Giulianotti Dorothy Watt Marion Fordyce James Kelman
24 Mar 1968	St. Machar's	Messa Concertata - Cavalli Requiem - Mozart	DM	Pat Macmahon Helen Cochrane Eric Reid William Elvin
23 Feb 1969	Music Hall	Mass in B minor - Bach [combined with Aberdeen University Choral Society]	DM	Sally le Sage Jean Allister Duncan Robertson John Carol Case