How Edinburgh's Love Music Community Choir created 'magnificent community' for its 300+ members
Composer, arranger and choir director Stephen Deazley spoke to Angellica Bell about this week's Scala Radio Community Choir of the Week
Last updated 3rd Mar 2020
This week's Scala Radio Community Choir of the Week was the Love Music Community Choir directed by composer and arranger Stephen Deazley.
Set up in 2013, the group started as a weekly rehearsal and concert opportunity for 150 people. In seven years the choir has increased its membership to over 300 members.
A concert on 23 March 2020 in Edinburgh's Usher Hall will bring together over 500 singers from a further three choirs across the city, including the Newhaven Community Choir, Lothian Gaelic Choir, The Cheyne Gang, and Loud & Proud.
If you're new to Edinburgh and you're looking to make new friends, surely the Love Music Community Choir (which doesn't demand an audition from its membership) is the place to go.
How often do Love Music Community Choir meet?
"We meet for three terms a year," explained Stephen on Angellica's Saturday Breakfast Show. "Roughly nine weeks a year. We create a really eclectic programme every term. We don't focus on one genre of music. We take some programming risks. The beauty of it really is that we have this relationship with the Usher Hall, which is this iconic beautiful location - that's our rehearsal room."
Where do Love Music Community Choir rehearse?
Music and physical space are inextricably linked, but the connection is perhaps overlooked. A grand location, especially one which is at the heart of a local community like Edinburgh's Usher Hall, raises the eyeline, giving a sense of permission to anyone who would normally sit in the auditorium that they can perform there too. This underpins the singing experience. Why wouldn't you want to sing given the chance of singing on the Usher Hall stage?
On those ocassions when us in the digital team get close to musicians - amateur or professional - we're reminded of one powerful thing: physical proximity to the source of music-making is what triggers the dopamine release.
Participatory music-making - especially those opportunities which are inclusive of all ages and abilities - will then make a significant impact on the mood of a participant and collectively on a group. The question then arises: why wouldn't anyone sing?
What sort of music does Love Music Community Choir sing?
Louise Mather's touching film (embedded in this article and available on the choir's website) illustrates Stephen Deazley's vision for the group, in addition to demonstrating the thrill experienced by its 300-strong mixed ability participants - a group as at ease singing Mozart's Requiem as tracks by Joy Division.
"Our programming is about exploration and curiosity," explained Stephen to Angellica. "We're always bringing something new, or presenting older music in a new way." He added, "We're providing a space where people can foster new interests in music-making."
Discover more about Love Music Community Choir including details on how to join up via the Love Music website.
Discover more community choirs on the Scala Radio website**.**
If there's a choir you think should be featured in the Community Choir spot email angellica@scalaradio.co.uk**.**
Angellica Bell's Saturday Breakfast Show is on Scala Radio from 7am until 10am. Catch up on the latest show via Listen Again.