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Aberdeen Sinfonietta was founded in 1987, originally as a small group of strings and harpsichord which played regularly in Aberdeen and also toured throughout Scotland. In 1997, at a time when the group was beginning to feel the need to expand its musical repertoire, they were given the exciting opportunity to expand considerably in order to perform as a chamber orchestra in the Music Hall with Roger Williams as conductor, and with the brilliant Russian pianist Mikhail Kazakevich as soloist. Since then the Sinfonietta has established itself as one of the foremost contributors to music-making in the north-east, and in addition to giving a regular series of concerts in the Music Hall, it provides the orchestra for prominent choral societies in and around Aberdeen, including Aberdeen Bach Choir and the Stonehaven Chorus.
- Rehearsing and performing the Schumann 'cello concerto with Ralph Kirshbaum and Garry Walker (2010);
- A Gala concert as part of the celebrations for Aberdeen Music Hall's 150th anniversary, conducted by David Jones, and with Aberdeen's distinguished soprano Lisa Milne as soloist in Strauss's Four Last Songs (2009);
- A performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto with Nicholas Daniel, in a concert conducted by Julian Clayton (2008);
- "Opera and Musical Nights" - a charity concert of music from opera and musicals, under the baton of the charismatic Marco Boemi (2007);
- A huge charity concert with Katherine Jenkins in the grounds of Balmoral Castle, celebrating the Queen's 80th birthday (2006);
- Verdi's Requiem, conducted by David Jones, to celebrate 60 years of Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society (2006);
- A performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion with Aberdeen Bach Choir in their 50th anniversary season (2006);
- A Gala Concert with Aberdeen Bach Choir in its 50th anniversary season, conducted by James Lobban and Roger Williams, and with Mikhail Kazakevich as soloist in the Grieg Piano Concerto (2005);
- Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, conducted by James Loughran, as a tribute to Lady Aberdeen for her 90th birthday (2003);
The orchestra aims to involve young people in ways which help to educate and inspire the musicians and the audiences of the future. Education initiatives have included very successful children's concerts in association with Aberdeenshire Council, in Inverurie, Huntly and Aboyne, where we have had children participating in a variety of ways, from bringing along and playing their own instruments, to writing poems and producing images for back-projection, to illustrate the famous Carnival of the Animals. Talented student players are regularly invited to take part in our concerts, and we have also organised master-classes with a number of our distinguished soloists, including Moray Welsh, Mikhail Kazakevich, Alexander Janiczek and Ralph Kirshbaum.
Bryan Dargie studied music at Aberdeen University, during which time he regularly travelled to Edinburgh for violin lessons with the then leader of the Edinburgh Quartet, Miles Baster. He was awarded a Sir James Caird scholarship to continue his studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where his teachers were Frederick Grinke for violin and Sidney Griller for chamber music. After a number of years of playing with leading London orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic and the London Mozart Players, he returned to Aberdeen, where he has established himself as an influential violinist and violin teacher, with wide experience of solo playing, of leading orchestras, in particular Aberdeen Sinfonietta, and of chamber music playing. For many years he was a member of the Aberdeen Piano Trio, and he is currently the leading violinist with Aberdeen Chamber Players.
In November 2005 he received the honorary degree of Master of the University from the University of Aberdeen.
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