About Us

The late Lady Aberdeen (June Gordon), founded the Haddo House Choral & Operatic Society Society in 1945 together with her late husband in order to give additional cultural opportunities to the residents of Aberdeenshire.

Musical director Alice E Dennis, GTCL, LTCL who now takes the rehearsals, and the committees that run HHCOS, are determined to maintain the high standards and traditions that Lady Aberdeen established. Alice trains up to 5 Haddo Choirs at any one time, involving over 200 singers. The Children's Choir, Youth Choir and Treble Voice Choir have achieved recognition at national level in competitions such as BBC Radio 3's Choir of the Year competition. The Choral Society is widely recognised as being one of the strongest in the area with their busy schedule of an annual opera, major concert and several carol events. Alice conducts oyr carol concerts, Gilbert and Sullivan productions and some of our annual concerts. Other operas and concerts are conducted by guest conductors such as Ben Parry and David Jones.

Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings at 7.15pm and run all year, with Alice and rehearsal pianist (and society chairman) Jerry Dennis. New members are welcome to come and sing and can join at any time. All abilities are catered for, there are at present 70 - 90 members ranging from 16 to over 80 years of age. As with all the groups at Haddo, there are no auditions to join.

For a full programme of events, rehearsal schedules and membership details, please click on the buttons above.

HHCOS prides itself on its high standard of performance, achieved by the local community working alongside the professional artists brought in for producing and designing the opera, for the major solo roles and for playing in the orchestra for the opera and concerts alike.

The elegantly Adams designed Haddo House, surrounded by gardens, park and lake with its abundant Scottish wildlife, is a uniquely beautiful and peaceful setting for concerts, operas and other shows. Situated 20 miles north of Aberdeen, (map) the House is Administered by the National Trust for Scotland, and was the home of founder Lady Aberdeen. The NTS have agreed to allow 'Haddo User Groups' (HUG), of which HHCOS is the prominent member, to use the attendant facilities for rehearsals and performances. If you would like to see more pictures of Haddo, and its surroundings visit the estate site.

The facilities comprise a purpose built rehearsal room, known as the 'Peatyards' and the historic and beautiful timber-built wooden theatre known as 'Haddo House Hall' for performances. The Choral Society also uses the tiny and picturesque Chapel, attached to the side of the main House for their popular carol concerts. These venues are a delight for both artists and their audiences.

HUG now involves over 300 members of all ages and backgrounds. Gifted amateurs of all ages take part in the wide range of productions including the HHCOS full scale Opera, large Choral Concert and Carol Concerts. There are also musical shows from the the Haddo Youth Music Theatre and the Haddo Children's Theatre and youth concerts involving the Haddo Youth and Children's Choirs as well as national competition with them and the Haddo Combined Treble Voice Choir. This unique blend makes Haddo the ultimate community arts centre.

At the present time HHCOS celebrates the many young people who have grown up in the area who have performed at Haddo in one or more of the 'HUG' groups and have gone on to study music and the performing arts at tertiary level. Currently three young singers who have attended Haddo since their school days and who are at the start of promising singing careers are Lisa Moffat, Eleanor Dennis and Wendy Carr www.wendycarr@moonfruit.com

Alice Dennis offers free singing workshops to schools in the area - Click here

Choral workshops are available to choirs and societies throughout Scotland - Click here

In addition, Haddo House Hall and the Peatyards are available for use by local and regional groups for dances, private functions (i.e. weddings, birthdays, presentations, conferences, etc.), craft fairs, performances and a whole range of other cultural and educational purposes (for booking the facilities, please contact the National Trust for Scotland Haddo House Manager on 01651 851440).