Rehearsal Information

We will begin our rehearsal programme (Tuesdays from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in The Sanctuary within Mannofield Church) under Musical Director, Paul Tierney, ahead of our next concert on Saturday 6 December 2025 in St Machar's Cathedral. We will be performing works by American composers - Bernstein Chichester Psalms, Lauridsen Lux Aeterna and works by Barber, Del Tredici and Whitacre. Ben Marsden will once again be our accompanist for this session.

Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30pm (Aug-Dec & Jan-Apr), and they include a short tea/coffee break (bring your own drinks).

Our rehearsal venue is within Mannofield Church, located at the junction of Great Western Road and Countesswells Road - termed The Sanctuary.

Mannofield Church looking west along Great Western Road

First Bus 19 Tillydrone-Peterculter and Stagecoach 201 Ballater-Union Square serve the stops on Great Western Road right beside the church. First Bus service 2 Ashwood-Garthdee goes along Broomhill Road coming from Ashwood and service 1 Garthdee-Danestone takes that route towards Danestone. The Broomhill Road bus stops are a half mile walk from The Sanctuary.

Cyclists can store their cycles within the building.

Unrestricted car parking is available on adjacent residential streets, namely Countesswells Road, Craigielea Avenue and Wellbrae Terrace, and there are more parking opportunities on Duthie Place, parallel to Great Western Road to the south. Please park considerately.

 

Rehearsal Timetable Autumn Term 2025

Weekly rehearsals will commence on Tuesday 26 August and continue in Mannofield Church until Tuesday 11 November, with a two week break on Tuesdays 14 and 21 October. The rehearsal venue will switch to St Machar's Cathedral on Tuesday 18 November for two Tuesday rehearsals, the evening rehearsal on Friday 5 December and a final rehearsal from 2-5 pm on Saturday 6 December. Because there is a concert in St Machar's Cathedral on Tuesday 2 December, the rehearsal that evening will be in Mannofield Church.

 

Recommended Recordings

Lauridsen - Lux Aeterna


This recording is with orchestra but the choral singing is very good and the overall sound that they achieve is exactly the type of sound I'd like to aim for!

Bernstein - Chichester Psalms

Many of you will have performed the Chichester Psalms before but for those of you who haven't (and as a refresher for those who have), the text is in Hebrew. Here are some links to a very clear and concise pronunciation guide:

Movement 1   Movement 2   Movement 3

Whitacre - Leonardo

This video actually has the score on screen so you can watch the music at the same time as listening!

Barber - Reincarnations

Mary Hynes   Anthony O'Daly   The Coolin

Barber - Sure on this Shining Night

Del Tredici - Acrostic Song

 

Rehearsal Tracks

Members have been sent a link to register with John Fletcher Music, for which we have bought a subscription for the current term. Once you have registered, you can log in to access copies of your part to play or download at https://johnfletchermusic.org/aberdeen-bach-choir/. There are tracks there for all the works except the Del Tredici piece.

 

Section representatives

Current section representatives - your point of contact within your part.

S1 Sandra Massey

S2 Alyson Smith

A1 TBC

A2 Libby Brand

Tenor James Millar

Bass TBC

Aberdeen Bach Choir
Scottish Registered Charity Number SC008609

OSCR logo
Aberdeen Bach Choir Logo