Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society

27/03/2026

Did you know HHCOS is now 80 years old?

We Owe It All To Lady Aberdeen: June Gordon

HHCOS began in 1945 upon Haddo House grounds thanks to June Gordon and her husband David.

In the beginning they only did small scale carol concerts with friends and family, but just after 2 years the choir was ready to tackle Handel’s Messiah;
and from 1950 onwards there have been larger scale choral concerts every single year.

The first operetta produced by HHCOS was in 1947, Trial by Jury,
and this paved way for many future productions that would build up the
chior you know today.

In 1965 the first grand opera, Carmen by Bizet, was performed upon the stage of our choirs future.

Now Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society approaches milestone after milestone, and we would like to continue bringing music and community to those that have helped us thrive since the end of World War 2.

As of winter 2025, the choir turned 80 years old. While June and David Gordon are no longer with us, we owe all our success, highs, lows, history and our future to their love of music and dedication to bring it to the community.

And we would be honoured if you joined us in continuing their dream as we keep singing, and we hope you join us in our celebrations of this anniversary though 2026.
We do hope to see you tomorrow at our first concert of this year.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

26/03/2026

The songs we sing

Sure on This Shining Night
Barber’s setting of James Agee’s words has such a quiet, glowing magic about it — calm, tender, and full of awe. The vocal lines seem to just float, and the harmonies perfectly match the poetry’s sense of stillness and reverence. This stillness makes you just want to breathe and listen – it’s beautiful.

Copland’s Old American Songs are packed full of character — the bold ‘The Boatmen’s Dance’, the heartfelt ‘At the River’, and the cheeky ‘I bought me a cat’. These are simple folk tunes that Copland respects yet turns them into something really special and enduring. The use of wide, spacious harmonies is unquestionably Copland’s; yet the arrangements are not grand or impressive because he has arranged them with honesty to make sure the story is told. Warm, characterful, and unmistakably American - a thoughtfully curated group of songs.

Do come along on Saturday 28th March to hear this charming group of songs.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

24/03/2026

Introducing our soprano soloist Chloe Baillie who will feature at our concert 'A Sprig of Thyme' on 28th March.
Chloe Baillie was born in Aberdeen and spent 6 years studying music at the Aberdeen City Music School based in Dyce Academy as a first-study Singer. Whilst there Chloe performed regularly at the Music Hall, Cowdray Hall and St Andrew’s Cathedral in both concert and recital. Chloe received the scholarship for the Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society in 2025 where she has performed as both a soloist and as part of the choir.
Chloe is currently continuing her studies with Dr. Lisa Milne with plans to go on to further education specialising in music performance. She hopes to pursue a career in opera and recital and is very excited about her future.
Haddo has a rich history in supporting upcoming talented young singers, and we hope you can join us on Saturday 28th March to be part of a wonderful evening of song.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

23/03/2026

Our pianist Harry Williamson.

In recent years Harry has been in great demand, providing piano accompaniments for singers and instrumentalists at concerts, musical competitions and at music lessons and exams.

He is currently rehearsal pianist for the Aberdeen Choral Society, Skene Singers and Haddo House Choral Society and in the past has been rehearsal pianist for the Aberdeen Bach choir.

He is musical director of the Northern Lights Singers who were formed two years ago following a merger of the Acclamations Choir and the Morven Singers.

Harry has been organist and choirmaster at Springfield (formerly called Craigiebuckler) church in Aberdeen since 2005 and before that was organist and choirmaster for 23 years at Beechgrove church in Aberdeen.

Come along and hear Harry's wonderful talent on Saturday 28th March @ 7pm.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

22/03/2026

Our forthcoming concert 'A Sprig of Thyme' on 28th March (tickets available from link) will be under the baton of our new musical director Gordon Jack. Gordon is a singer, music educator, and choral conductor. He studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama gaining a BA in Music Performance and two PGCE certificates in trumpet and singing.

He started conducting while at the RSAMD and was the first Director of the National Youth Choir of Scotland Training Choir, he has taught singing and musicianship on the National Boys Choir courses and also conducted the Changed Voices section in concert.

He is a board member of “North East of Scotland Performing Arts” (NESPA) and currently works for Big Noise Torry, a music and social change programme that works intensively with children, young people and families within targeted communities, the programme supports children and young people to improve their learning and wellbeing, tackling long-term inequalities, and bringing communities together.

“I am delighted at becoming the latest Musical Director of HHCOS because it renews a link with the society that was made when he was a young trumpet player and singer.”

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

20/03/2026

In addition to the music of Gustav Holst we will also be performing beautiful music arranged by John Rutter.
There’s something really special about A Sprig of Thyme (John Rutter’s arrangements of eleven British folksongs). It has that unmistakable Rutter warmth — gentle folk melodies given beautiful vocal harmonies and creative yet sensitive piano accompaniments.

On the surface the songs may seem rather simple, but they are full of emotion and colour. These gentle folk tunes all have that warm, unmistakable Rutter sound.
A reminder of how folk songs can be transformed into something truly heartfelt and memorable.
Do join us on the 28th of March to enjoy these lovely songs.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

18/03/2026

Our forthcoming concert 'A Sprig of Thyme' on 28th March (tickets available from link below) will be featuring music from Gustav Holst.

Read on to find out more about this delightful piece of music.

There’s something timeless about Holst’s Six Choral Folk Songs — music rooted in traditional melodies which Holst loved and respected yet lifted by his unmistakable warmth and imagination. Each song tells a story full of character, colour and beauty, celebrating the richness of our folk heritage while giving choirs a challenging and enjoyable sing and audiences a pleasurable listening experience. From playful rhythms to moments of heartfelt simplicity, this set is a wonderful reminder of how folk music connects us to place, history, and each other.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

15/03/2026

Remember to grab your tickets for our 2026 spring concert on the 28th of March!

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos

04/03/2026

Haddo Choral Scholarships of 2026 have less that 2 weeks till applications close!

Every year, Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society offer choral scholarships of up to £1000 to young singers (over 16s) in the North East of Scotland to support the development of their talent.

Applications are open for 2026/2027, and the closing date is the 15th March, 2026.

Auditions for suitable applicants will take place in the Peatyards at Haddo House on a Thursday evening during March/April.

To register an expression of interest, please contact: [email protected]

For more information, please visit:

Every year, Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society offer choral scholarships of up to £1000 to young singers in the North East of Scotland to support the development of their talent. Our choral scholarships offer musical experience, training, and a chance to perform with professional musicians. Ch...

25/02/2026

Tickets have officially dropped for our spring concert of 2026! Be sure to buy them soon before we sell out, and we hope to see you there!

23/11/2025

Tickets are now available for Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society's 80th Anniversay carol concerts. Please use the link below to purchase your tickets to celebrate Christmas with us in the beautiful setting of Haddo House Chapel.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/hhcos