ACE Chorus Entertains

An evening of music and song with 150 voices and big orchestra. Enjoy songs from the Shows, favourite standards, 60s Pop and some surprises.

Artistic Concert Experiences (ACE) is a friendly group of non-professional singers of all ages who enjoy singing. Our repertoir of songs has developed to include middle-of-the-road, old familiar classics and pop hits, alongside songs from musical theatre.

The organisation was set up in 1999 by friends who, with a lifetime of experience in the amateur theatre behind them, wanted to branch out in a new direction. ACE Chorus is run by the two Directors, Richard Johnston and Rona McKenzie.

Tapping into the growing interest in the big shows brought to the Edinburgh Playhouse by touring companies, they set about establishing a large chorus that could sing the well known songs in concert performances. Having done that, ACE was then able to provide a high-profile showcase for the wealth of singing talent that exists throughout the country, by staging live concerts with a large chorus, in big venues, to capacity audiences.

The vital ingredient in the validity and success of these performances was the presence of a large professional orchestra playing the original orchestrations, thereby re-creating the authentic sounds heard in the theatre and on recordings. It has proved to be a successful formula, with up to 150 singers on stage each year.