Strathaven Choral Society
Aidan grew up in the Clyde Valley where he began playing violin and piano at the age of seven. He spent two years studying music in a Swedish high school before he moved to London to attended Trinity College of Music. After receiving his degree, he played for numerous musicals and orchestras in and around London. Aidan returned to Scotland four years ago and has been busy making a name for himself in local music societies. In addition to directing and teaching he also plays fiddle in three folk dance bands – two of which he leads. Summers can find him leading instructional music weeks and travelling abroad to play for dance camps. Aidan has featured on numerous recordings including: fifteen English and Scottish dance albums with ‘The Assembly Players’, “The Halsway Manor Millennium CD” with the Millennium Players, “Treat Infamy” with Rest Assured, and his most recent success as solo violinist on the new motion picture soundtrack for “Pride and Prejudice”. He can also be seen, as well as heard, on the “big screen” as the violinist/leader of the band for both dances in the movie.
The 2005/06 season is Aidan’s third year as musical director for Strathaven Choral Society. Last year he initiated the choir’s first international exchange with Haderslev Teacher’s Choir from Denmark and plans are underway for a second exchange with a Tumba Church Choir from Sweden in 2007/08.
After ten very successful years as the Musical Director of Strathaven Choral Society, David Hamilton resigned at the end of the 2003 Season. As a mark of their appreciation the Choral Society made him an Honorary Vice-President at the 2003 AGM.
For his remarks at the 2003 AGM, held in Strathaven on 2 June 2003, David moved to the piano and treated the members present to a potted history of the concerts that he prepared the choir for, starting with his first concert on a snowy evening in February 1994, which included Chichester Psalms (Bernstein); Liebeslieder Walzer (Brahms); and From the Bavarian Highlands (Elgar). A brief look at the SCS Repertoire or Previous Concerts will show the wide selection of music that David guided the choir through including two special commissions - "Rough and Ready Guide to the Orchestra" by Nigel Don for the SCS Family Music Afternoons and "Celebrating Music" - a setting by Michael Norris of words by Lisa Hendry for the 25th Anniversary of SCS.
Following the untimely death of Strathaven Choral Society’s founder, David Knox, Desmond McLean assumed the musical directorship of Strathaven Choral Society in the autumn of 1991. Following such a brilliant and gifted musician was always going to be difficult. Change is always difficult but enforced change in these circumstances inflicted on the Society a period of mild turbulence and uncertainty.
Despite this, the Choral Society forged ahead with vigour and under Des’ leadership produced some magnificent performances of some of the repertoires finest choral pieces.
Des comments "Tis always difficult to select one particular performance as the most memorable but for me, the performance of the Verdi Requiem in 1992 could not be surpassed. This ‘David Knox Memorial Concert’ was indeed a memorable and fitting tribute to a man revered and loved by choristers and friends of Strathaven Choral Society. The standard of orchestral playing exceptional, the choral sound sublime and majestic and bringing to the performance that quintessential dimension was a quartet of soloists unsurpassed by any other choral society. The two spirits of Verdi and Knox were palpably present that Sunday night".