We celebrate each term with a concert and take part in additional events alongside our term dates. On this page you can find out more about events the whole choir has taken part in.
Love Music Choirs with Fionnlagh Mac A’Phiocar
28th Oct 2024, Usher Hall & online
Love Music Community & Junior Choirs ~ Stephen Deazley musical director ~Sally Jaquet & Clare Bauld JC leaders ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Fionnlagh Mac A’Phiocar Scottish small pipes
A rich and varied programme of songs featuring medleys from favourite musicals to the colourful world of Edith Piaf, the poise and celestial beauty of Fauré’s ‘In Paradisum’ and songs from icons of Scottish pop, Aztec Camera and King Creosote.
Love Music Choirs with Andy McTaggart and Edinburgh Guitar Orchestra
17th Jun 2024, Usher Hall & online
Love Music Community & Junior Choirs ~ Stephen Deazley musical director ~Sally Jaquet & Clare Bauld JC leaders ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Andy McTaggart baritone ~ Edinburgh Guitar Orchestra
The programme included American and Swedish folk music, the oldest complete notated song in human history dating from 2nd century Greece, and icons of 20th century song writing including David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Labi Siffre.
Truth Seekers
11th Mar 2024, Usher Hall & online
Love Music Community & Junior Choirs ~ Stephen Deazley musical director ~Sally Jaquet JC leader ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ John Kitchen organ ~ Steven Polwart guitar
The programme included a mystical reinterpretation of Robert Burns, a nod to sacred spaces of church and druids, and features songs by Vaughan Williams, Nina Simone, Arvo Pärt, The Beatles, and Sinéad O’Connor.
Love Music meets Tinderbox Orchestra
6th Nov 2023, Usher Hall & online
Love Music Community & Junior Choirs ~ Stephen Deazley musical director ~ Darla Eno & Sally Jaquet JC leaders ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Tinderbox Orchestra
For Love Music Community Choir’s final 10th birthday collaboration concert, they joined forces with the ever-joyful Junior Choir and the mesmeric Tinderbox Orchestra, Edinburgh’s radical reinvention of the modern orchestra.
Edinburgh Sings! A celebration of community singing
19th Jun 2023, Usher Hall, Edinburgh & live-streamed online
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley musical director
Edinburgh Ukrainian Choir ~ Karina Cherviakova conductor
The Phoenix Choir Edinburgh ~ Kat Brooks choir director
Soundhouse Choir ~ Heather Macleod musical director
Karine Polwart voice ~ Siobhan Miller voice ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Oi Musica brass section ~ The Shunpike Social Club directed by Marcus Britton & Sam Ward-Hardy
LMCC was joined by some of its friends in community choirs across Edinburgh, each group singing repertoire important to them and joining together in some epic collaborations. It was a beautifully joyful celebration of community singing, with more than 500 singers alongside guest musicians. We really couldn’t fit any more people on the stage!
Love Music Choirs & Newtongrange Silver Band
6th Mar 2023, Usher Hall, Edinburgh & live-streamed online
Stephen Deazley CC director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Newtongrange Silver Band ~ Anne Crookston Musical Director NSB ~ Darla Eno & Sally Jaquet JC leaders ~ Matt Hickman of Brownbear
Love Music Community & Junior Choirs
7th Nov 2022, Usher Hall, Edinburgh & live-streamed online
Stephen Deazley CC director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Ranjana Ghatak voice ~ Darla Eno & Sally Jaquet JC leaders
We welcomed Junior Choir back in a concert including songs by Radiohead, Natasha Bedingfield, Elgar & Rachel Sermanni! Community Choir were joined by Indian classical singer Ranjana Ghatak in a fantastic and unique collaboration, and Junior Choir sang the world premiere of a specially commissioned song by Josie Duncan.
Love Music Community Choir concert
20th Jun 2022, Usher Hall, Edinburgh & live-streamed online
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
We celebrated a welcome return to the Usher Hall with our first live concert in two years and an eclectic programme featuring songs by Billy Joel, Handel, The Proclaimers and Joy Division.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration
5th Jun 2022, Ross Bandstand, Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director ~ Paul Harrison keys
Outside Singing Event
27th Mar 2022, Usher Hall steps, Edinburgh
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director
Festive House Party
12th Dec 2020, online
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ The Jellyman’s Daughter voice ~ Tim Licata actor ~ Sally Jaquet singer
Our packed programme included an exclusive house concert by Scottish Americana folk duo The Jellyman’s Daughter performing a set from their newly released Christmas album, and a fireside tale performed by actor Tim Licata with improvised soundtrack by Love Music’s resident pianist and legend Dave Milligan. We got into the festive spirit with cocktail and mocktail making demos, Christmas cracker jokes, and some festive carols, and were treated to a special performance by our trainee choral leader Sally Jaquet.
Come & Sing Ave Maria
8th Aug 2020, online
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director
We enjoyed a lovely afternoon learning Schubert’s Ave Maria with our pre-recorded backing tracks.
Love Music Choirs & Special Guests
4th November 2019, Usher Hall
Love Music Community Choir ~ Love Music Junior Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Karine Polwart voice ~ Beth Taylor mezzo-soprano ~ Sally Jaquet trainee choral leader
Love Music choirs’ presented a joyous evening of community singing with some very special guests: 2018 BBC Radio 2 folk singer of the year Karine Polwart and rising classical mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor. The concert featured an eclectic mix of iconic grunge, pop and folk, and a reinvention of Bach with newly commissioned lyrics from Alexander McCall Smith.
Songbirds & Troubadours
24th June 2019, Usher Hall
Love Music Community Choir ~ Love Music Junior Choir ~ Stephen Deazley director ~ Darla Eno trainee choral leader ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Siannie Moodie clarsach ~ Hailun Hu & Andy Wong from The City of Edinburgh Primary Music School piano ~ Fenella Kerr narrator ~ Jillian Bain trumpet
This was an irrepressibly joyful celebration of songs by songwriters with a gift for exquisite melody and rich storytelling, including music by Handel, Burt Bacharach, The Beach Boys and US blues legend Sam Chatmon. Young musicians from The City of Edinburgh Primary Music School and upcoming clarsach player Siannie Moodie joined Love Music Junior Choir in performances of Woody Guthrie, Gaelic fairy songs, and music by eccentric New York street poet and composer Moondog.
Love Music Community Choir flashmob
18th March 2019, outside the Usher Hall
Stephen Deazley director ~ Daniel Crichton guitar
The choir flash-mobbed the audience for James as they waited to watch to the band with their versions of Sit Down and How Hard The Day. A smaller group from the choir then performed with the band onstage as part of their set! See SMALLER EVENTS for more details.
Love Music Community Choir
11th March 2019, Usher Hall
Stephen Deazley director ~ Steve Hamilton piano ~ Daniel Crichton guitar
Songs by legendary 1980s Manchester rock band James contrasted with ancient music from Swedish fishwives, songs from the German cabaret tradition, and a ground-shaking, spirit-soaring hymn from the American Sacred Harp tradition. A mix of iconic tracks and lesser known musical gems, performed in LMCC’s joyful and exuberant style.
Love Music Choirs & Special Guests
12th November 2018, Usher Hall
Love Music Community Choir & Love Music Junior Choir
Dave Milligan piano ~ Steven Blake bagpipes ~ John Kitchen organ
Stephen Deazley director
The pipes, the pipes were calling! Renowned piper Steven Blake and City of Edinburgh organist John Kitchen joined our community of 450 singers of all ages, breathing life into iconic classical and pop, upturn ancient folk music and celebrate the legendary Scottish musical absurdist Ivor Cutler.
Dave Milligan Trio and Love Music Choirs
11th June 2018, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Dave Milligan Trio with Su-a Lee on saw and cello
Love Music Community Choir and Junior Choir conducted by Stephen Deazley
With special guest spoken-word artist Dizraeli
An incredible evening of genre-mashing music, with everything from Shakespeare to a song written this term by Love Music Junior Choir, from gospel to Kate Bush, and a Dr Who/Blondie mashup complete with musical saw! All accompanied by the fantastic Dave Milligan Trio.
Edinburgh Sings! A celebration of community singing
12th March 2018, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Love Music Community Choir ~ Stephen Deazley musical director
The Soundhouse Choir ~ Heather Macleod musical director, with Oi Musica brass sextet
Sangstream ~ Corrina Hewat musical director
Songtribe ~ Alison Burns musical director
Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus ~ James Wilkinson music director
Dave Milligan piano
LMCC was joined by some of its friends in community choirs across Edinburgh, each group singing repertoire close to their musical hearts, combining to create a programme befitting such an eclectic and inclusive community. It was a joyful celebration of community singing on a large scale, with 500 singers from across the city!
Love Music Community Choir & Love Music Junior Choir in concert
6th November 2017, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley conductor ~ Dave Milligan pianist
Our wonderful LMCC celebrated their 15th term together and the end of 5 full years by welcoming our brand new Love Music Junior Choir to the stage. Both choirs performed mixed programmes including songs by Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran, The Divine Comedy, alongside a beautiful Croatian folksong and some fun arrangements of well-known film themes. The choirs combined for a final mash-up incorporating a Gaelic song (taught to LMJC during the term by Joy Dunlop) and Bill Withers’ Lean on Me. Our audience members described it as “a joyous evening” and said “it really was very inspiring to see both choirs perform, particularly impressive to see such young people on stage clearly really enjoying the experience and without music!”
Love Music Community Choir & Punkit present: Punks, Rebels & Radicals
13th June 2017, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Joby Burgess percussion ~ Dave Milligan keys ~ Yazz Ahmed trumpet ~ Sue McKenzie sax ~ Chris Greive trombone ~ Tom Lyne bass ~ Love Music Community Choir ~ Punkiteers from Clovenstone & Sighthill Primary Schools
A night of hair-raising musical adventures and literal raising of hair as our director Stephen had a pink mohican cut in just before the concert, raising over £2,500 for Love Music Junior Choir! The first half featured Punkit, an explosive extravaganza with massed youth percussion from Wester Hailes playing alongside internationally renowned percussionist Joby Burgess, and a 5-piece band. The P7 pupils from Clovenstone and Sighthill Primary Schools did an amazing job and embodied punk to the fullest! In the second half, LMCC performed an eclectic selection of songs with rebellious and radical histories by composers and bands ranging from Vivaldi to Kraftwerk to Madness, accompanied by our exceptional band. They were joined by the Punkiteers for an epic finale with songs by The Clash and Peter Gabriel.
Image by Claire Birnie
Love Music Community Choir in concert
7th November 2016, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Our final concert of our 4th year together had something of a saints and sinners theme, with music from Johnny Cash (including God’s Gonna Cut You Down and a rewritten version of I’ve Been Everywhere, filled with Scottish locations, thanks to our singer Kelly Apter), UB40, Nick Cave, Orlando Gibbons and Verdi. Another fabulous evening!
Love Music Community Choir in concert
13th June 2016, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Our 11th term end-of-term concert was an evening of celebration with people making music together and loving every bit of it. We performed a typically eclectic mix of songs, starting with Schubert’s Ave Maria. The rest of the programme included songs by Ben Folds, the Beach Boys and Lou Reed, as well as some Gaelic mouth-music in Seinn o Churadail, which we learned with the help of Joy Dunlop during the term, and a gospel song made famous by Odetta, Motherless Children. Great big thanks to everyone who came along!
Love Music Community Choir in Concert featuring Big Project Youth Choir & young guitarists
7th March 2016, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Big Project Youth Choir ~ Guitarists
We had a fantastic 10th concert, joined by some very special guests. The concert featured the premiere of a new song Out of this World written by, and performed with, the Big Project Youth Choir, inspired by Colonel Chris Hadfield’s Astronaut’s Guide to Optimism. LMCC also performed special arrangements of songs by David Bowie, Strauss and The Beatles, and were joined by a group of young guitarists from several schools across Edinburgh, led by local guitarist and teacher Mike McGeary.
LMCC with Big Project Youth Choir & young guitarists, image by Mihaela Bodlovic
Love Music Community Choir in Concert, guest starring Hobbit
4th November 2015, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Hobbit beatboxer
We were delighted to celebrate the end of our 3rd year with a concert featuring our friend Hobbit, a champion beatboxer who first delighted and amazed the choir with a workshop back in our very 1st term. Our programme of songs included a vast array from Handel’s Zadok the Priest (both “straight” and with beatboxing) to The Kinks, taking in Nina Simone, Richard Thompson, Leonard Cohen and Art Garfunkel on the way.
Selfie by Hobbit
Karine Polwart Trio with Love Music Community Choir & BIG Project Youth Choir (Broomhouse)
17th June 2015, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
We had a fantastic term working with Karine Polwart and her trio, and were joined by the wonderful BIG Project Youth Choir to perform specially arranged versions of some of Karine’s songs and covers, as well as a selection of songs ranging from Donizetti to Frank Sinatra! The Karine Polwart Trio gave a stirring set in the second half, and were joined by both choirs from the Upper Circle for the final song, the beautiful King of Birds.
LMCC with Karine Polwart Trio & Big Project Youth Choir, image by Will Searle
Love Music Community Choir in concert
24th March 2015, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Featuring classical, gospel and folk favourites from the UK and beyond.
Love Music Community Choir at the Edinburgh Iranian Festival
7th February 2015, Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland
Stephen Deazley director ~ Paul Harrison piano ~ Roxana Vilk vocalist
LMCC performed Mara Beboos with guest soloist Roxana Vilk, before ending the day’s events with Scottish traditional song Lowlands Away.
Love Music Community Choir in concert, with Roxana Vilk
28th October 2014, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Including songs by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Elvis Costello and Pink Martini, and the traditional Iranian song Mara Beboos.
Love Music Community Choir in concert
24th June 2014, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Including Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and Humming Chorus from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, alongside Leonard Cohen’s The Faith and songs from the Big Big Sing Songbook. During the term, we were treated to a wonderful evening with soprano Anne Sophie Duprels, prior to her singing the role of Cio-Cio San in Scottish Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly.
Love Music Community Choir & The Commonwealth Games
In June 2014, LMCC was invited by City of Edinburgh Council to take part in a concert in Princes St Gardens as part of the Queen’s Baton Relay. The choir shared the stage with Stanley Odd, Rura, Anna McLuckie, and the Queen’s Baton itself! LMCC also made an appearance at the Commonwealth Gala Concert at the Usher Hall, which featured the RSNO and Edinburgh Royal Choral Union. Some unexpected swapping of conductors occurred, and with the help of John Kitchen at the organ, a number of the audience members turned out to be LMCC singers who burst into a rendition of Ode to Joy, much to the surprise of audience members and musicians on stage alike!
Love Music Community Choir in concert
25th March 2014, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano ~ Dougie Hudson drums & percussion ~ Andy Cooke Ugandan instruments
Including songs from Irving Berlin to Puccini, from Jamaican Ska to Mexican Bolero, Latin Rumba, Gospel and Rufus Wainwright. We welcomed Rufus Wainwright to the Usher Hall with a flashmob before his concert on 5th March.
Love Music Community Choir in concert
30th October 2013, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
With songs from Joy Division to Mozart, Nick Cave to Paul Brady and a traditional Scottish lament.
Love Music Community Choir in concert
3rd July 2013, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Including songs by Blondie and Burt Bacharach alongside traditional songs and two new arrangements of traditional songs and poems from our friends Martin Riley and Corrina Hewat. We flash-mobbed the Blondie concert at Usher Hall the day before our concert and were thrilled when they tweeted a video made by Chris Stein from the band!
Love Music Community Choir in concert
26th March 2013, Usher Hall Edinburgh
Stephen Deazley director ~ Dave Milligan piano
Our first ever concert featured music from The King and I, an Edinburgh-based rewrite of Guys and Dolls (“What’s playing at the Filmhouse”!) with lyrical inspiration from choir members, and 3 traditional songs from the UK and America.