Chalmers Mackay Music School came about as a pipe dream for Ruby Mackay back in 1988, when she start doing some casual piano tuition in a small cottage in the middle of the Parkhill area of Aberdeenshire - in reality the School began with 8 pupils back then;- now, over 20 years on, with 4 sets of studios, 27 full and part time tutors, over 500 pupils, it is the biggest private Music School in the North East of Scotland.
A move to Suttie near Kintore, saw Ruby building up an ever expanding waiting list of pupils, where she had the idea of offering a rent-a-room facility to another music teacher - Jacqui Yule. Jacqui could also offer violin tuition so the pair added another ‘string to their bow'! (Pardon the pun!) News of the tuition spread, and before long two other tutors - Hilary Marshall and Jane Herrod joined the ranks and Chalmers Mackay Music School was ‘born',
It became obvious that the School had outgrown its premises (Rubys home, where she lived with her husband and two children) so alternatives had to be sought to house the ever increasing number of pupils.
41 High Street, Inverurie came along at just the right time.
Extensive renovations were necessary to get the place ready for the August deadline, a complete re-vamping of the premises took place within 4 months. One of the major changes being the installation of a fire-stair through the middle of the building. With 4 tutorial rooms, equipped with the necessary audio players, pianos and keyboards in August 1997 the fully fledged Music School opened its doors to 96 pupils of piano, keyboard and violin.
One year later the premises at 37 Dee Street came on the scene to add a further 102 pupils to the school role.
As the years wore on new tutors were added to the list with new instruments to offer the folks of Inverurie and as far afield as Huntly, Alford, Banchory, Ellon, Stonehaven and Peterhead (just some of the places pupils travel from on a weekly basis for lessons) in fact 2 pupils travelled all the way from Dingwall at one stage to get singing and piano lessons! Such was the attraction of tuition at Chalmers Mackay.
In May 2003, Ruby added 39 Dee Street and the Annexe at Kintore to the ever expanding line-up of Studios.
There were many teething problems at first as this was a brand new type of idea at that time - there would have been perhaps 5 such Teaching Studios around the North East and every one was operating using different ideas. Ruby took on an administrator at first to help with the running of the office at High Street - Diana Benzie has been with the School since it moved there. Two years later Mag Leonard was added to the office staff and recently Linda Waiter.
The girls were put in charge of providing information to callers and enrolling pupils.
Chalmers Mackay Music School is very much a family run unit, and the School prides itself in looking after the individual, whether it be pupil or tutor or staff.
Chalmers Mackay prides itself in offering its pupils a chance to work in group situations, whether in a band or ensemble, and a Bands Programme was brought into operation 2 years after the School began.
Many youngsters have taken part in the Programme and gone on to play in other bands once they've left the School, having benefitted from the guidance and advice they were given. Ruby Mackay and Stuart Hossack started off these sessions with the following bands:
- Short Circuit
- FreeSpirit
- White Widow
- Aftershock
- The UFO's (a small Scottish ensemble orchestra)
- And the Chalmers Mackay JazzBand (an 18 piece unit which performed at the Ellon Festival back in 2001)
Since those early days more bands have come on the scene and Stuart moved over to let Tom Morris and Gareth Machray take hold of the reins and Justin Brook now runs the Jazz Band which recently appeared at a benefit event held for the Chernobyl Disaster children.
Bands now at the School are:
- Chalmers Mackay Jazz Band
- Arlene Johnstone Country Band
- Magical Mystery Tour
- Granite
- Reprobate
- Ceilidh Peppers
- Celtallic
- Eusebius
- Wildside
Various fiddle groups have worked with Ruth Hardie for events and Katrina Eadie set-up a small flute ensemble.
Over the years Chalmers Mackay Bands have played and appeared in concerts and at events all for the good of charity, and this will continue to happen...
The Music School is grateful to all tutors who work with the Bands and Ensembles - acknowledging the importance of group-work for all students.
Please see the events page for details of band activities.