18 July 2026

Our younger son went to the Music School at Douglas Academy. Looking back, he considers it one of the best things which happened to him. His musical education was built on a firm theoretical foundation which has stood him in good stead.

When he was at the Musical School, our daughters were at Bearsden Academy. As a parent and as a chaplain I was invited to the school concerts. Some of the students there were as good as those at the Music School. We witnessed many beautiful and accomplished performances.

However, there was one aspect of this music-making which was different. At the Music School, the students were taught how to bow and to carry themselves on and off the performance space. Each contribution was finished perfectly.

At the Academy it was different. The students found it difficult to accept the applause and were diffident about bowing in acknowledgement. This created an awkward atmosphere for student and audience. Performers need to be confident in how they present themselves as much as how they make music.

I think this is also true in the worship space. As with dress so with performance. Some people consider it to be unimportant. But the minister more than anyone else has a responsibility to respect the sacred space within the sanctuary.

In this space, certain protocols are to be observed. In moving from one place to the other, there should be a sense of purpose, a lack of self-consciousness, a focus on what is about to happen as a result of this new direction. As a mature musician, our son still receives compliments for the way he bows. He was taught well.