Haddo Voices

(Formerly Haddo Junior Choirs)

In 2011 the youth section of HHCOS underwent a major rebrand with the launch of three brand new choirs. New members are always welcome throughout the year - choose your choir from the list below and come along to our next rehearsal to give us a try!

Haddo Children's Voices
This choir is for children aged 6 to 9 (P1 - P5). Rehearsing in Ellon Kirk Centre on Wednesday evenings from 6.15 - 7.00pm, music ranges from silly warm ups to jazzy to traditional to easy classical. A fun introduction to singing and with plenty of tips on developing young ears and voices and always with plenty of laughs along the way.

Haddo Boys' Voices
A brand new choir for boys aged 10 - 18 (P6 - S6). Rehearsing at Little Arnage on Monday evenings,  7.00 - 7.30pm, music is specially tailored to suit boys voices; changed or unchanged. It  ranges from folk to jazz to musical numbers as well as more traditional classical. Rehearsals are informal but aim for a high standard of performance. Voices are gently coached through the teen years, whether just for fun or for boys who are considering being a singer in the future. (For directions to Little Arnage click here or call 01358 722977).

Haddo Girls' Voices
A choir for girls aged 10 - 18 (P6 - S6). Rehearsing in Ellon Parish Church on Tuesday evenings, 7.15 - 8.00 pm. Music is specially tailored to suit teenage girls ranging from folk to jazz to musical numbers as well as more traditional classical. Rehearsals are informal and fun but with serious content for any aspiring singers. Voices are gently coached through the teen years.

Solo Training

Any aspiring soloists or members requiring individual coaching will also be catered for by our Musical Director Alice Dennis, who has years of experience with singers of all ages and who can coach singers for individual competitions as required. All this will be included in the annual subscription!

Subscriptions

The normal yearly subscription is £40 per year (approximately £1.75 per week) and includes a free T shirt, music and 4 individual lessons (if required). Members who choose to join more than one choir, or sing with HHCOS as well, need only pay the one subscription. Siblings can join at a reduced rate.Please ask our secretary at rehearsals about our discounts for families, paying in installments or help with fees for families on benefits.

New members welcome now at a reduced subscription: £15 for the first child, £10 for the second and £7.50 for the 3rd within a family (for summer term only). There are no auditions to join the choirs and you are welcome to give the choirs a trial for two weeks before joining formally. Please fill out this form and bring it to your first rehearsal.

Members will be also be expected to buy one of our good value sweatshirts for performances. The Girls Choir will also be provided with a purple top and long black skirt for more formal performances. Once a year all three choirs will learn one song in common and perform it together in a massed sing at our end of year concert!

We hope to see you at a rehearsal very soon! New members are always very welcome and the present members are very friendly! You may have seen our Musical Director Alice Dennis at school workshops at Haddo or in your school.

Whichever choir you choose, you will be in the hands of a qualified professional. This is vitally important as vocal problems can occur very easily by the late teens.  We only get one voice per lifetime. Young singers from Haddo have gone on to successful professional careers; we have a proven track record in the training and nurturing of young talent. We are a unique asset in rural Aberdeenshire - make use of your very special local choirs!

If you need more information please call Alice on 01368 722977 (mornings) or just come along to the next rehearsal and give the choirs a trial run.

Member news and rehearsals

Rehearsals run from October to December (7 weeks), January to March (9 weeks) and April to June (7 weeks).

Full rehearsal schedule HERE. Members are expected to attend every week once joined up, especially in the run up to a concert. However, if you really can't make a rehearsal please contact us before the rehearsal:

Please note Haddo Childrens' Voices are now to start at 6.15pm (ending 7.00pm as usual).

Summer Term Events

There are three events for the three voices choirs this term. You are expected to attend all three and all the rehearsals in the run up to ensure a good standard at the concerts.

Friday 25th May - Haddo House Hall. Scottish Concert. Selected soloists only - TBC.

Tuesday 29th May - Aberdeen and NE Scotland Music Festival - Music Hall, Aberdeen:

HBV - 6.45pm (be there 6.25 in uniform)

HCV - 7.00pm (be there 6.25 in uniform)

HGV - 7.20pm (be there 6.25 in uniform)

Friday 8th June - 7.00pm, Haddo House Hall. Voices Annual Concert. Tickets on sale now! Invite all your family a n friends for what promises to be a lovely evening of young music making. Call 01651 851111

Uniform for HBV and HGV wil be new black hoodies (arriving soon) plus Voices T shirt .
HCV purple sweatshirts plus white shirt underneath.
All should wear black trousers, shoes and socks.

If you know now you cannot attend any of the three events, please put in apologies NOW (numbers above). Please continue to attend rehearsals anyway.

If you are singing a solo in the festival you must call Alice NOW to book coaching sessions (Friday afternoons) - 01358 722977. Directions to her house HERE.

Worried about the weather?

Please ring Alice's answer machine after 5.00pm on rehearsal day, for recorded message about possible cancellation. If you choose not to come to a rehearsal due to the weather, please put an apology in (numbers above) before 4.30pm, so that we can call off if very few are going to show up!