The Performing Arts Faculty

About Us

Instrumental Tuition

The music department are supported by nine Aberdeenshire Council Instrumental Music Instructors who visit the school each week to deliver free music lessons in the following disciplines:

• Bagpipes

• Brass

• Guitar and Bass Guitar

• Lower Strings

• Percussion (orchestral percussion and drum kit)

• Piano

• Pipe Band Snare Drumming

• Upper Strings

• Woodwind

To find out more about instrumental tuition, including how to sign up for lessons, please click here I

In S1 Music, learners spend term one  developing leadership and problem-solving skills by experiencing the classrooms instruments offered. At the beginning of term 2 learners choose two to specialise in for the remainder of the Broad General Education. The classroom instruments on offer can be seen below. Listening and music literacy skills are developed through active learning tasks based on the following units of work: Getting Started, The Magic Mystery Wheel, Christmas Music, The Music of Scotland, Popular Music and Music from Around the World. TEamwork, communication and leadership skills are developed through various composition projects e.g. Scottish Waltz, composing a riff and improvisation.

In S2 Music, the following topics are studied Music in the Media, Skills Development and Careers in the Performing Arts, Christmas Music, Showtime and Top of the Pops. The four key skills; leadership, communication, problem-solving and teamwork are developed in these topics through performing solo and as part of a group on two instruments, composing and active listening activities.

S2 Drama information will be available soon.

In S3 Music, learners continue to develop preforming, problem-solving and leadership skills on instruments chosen in S1. Listening skills, leadership and communication skills continue to be developed through studying The Instruments of the Orchestra, The Music of Scotland and Music from Around the World. Composing, teamwork and problem-solving skills are developed through group and individual compositions from a variety of stimuli e.g. Programme Music using images,  TV Advert Theme, Orchestral Remix, Scottish Waltz and Cover Song.

In S3 Music Technology, learners work with the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) GarageBand. They use their teamwork, problem-solving, communication and leadership skills to produce Soundscapes, an Audiobook, Sound Design for Christmas, Sonic Postcards, Radio Broadcast, Voice-over, Project based learning: Creating Music for Exercise and Sound Design for a Video Game. Listening skills are developed through studying Music from the 20th Century - Blues, Jazz, Disco and Rock.

S3 Drama information will be available soon.

Senior Phase (S4,5 &6) Performing Arts Pathways

The following courses are offered in the senior phase: 

• Performance Arts (National 1 and 2)

• Music Technology (National 4, 5 and Higher)

• Drama (National 3, 4 and 5)

• Music (National 4, 5, Higher and Advanced Higher)

• Performing on One Instrument or Voice (SCQF Level 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) delivered by the Instrumental Music Service Instructors

Click here to access the Performing Arts area of the subject choice website.