Founded in 1978, Toccata Ladies Choir has been at the heart of the West Lothian choral community for almost five decades. What began as a small group of enthusiastic singers has grown into one of Scotland’s most respected ladies’ choirs, known for its musical excellence, warm friendship and commitment to sharing the joy of singing.
Today, the choir brings together around 35 women of all ages and backgrounds who share a passion for music. Under the musical direction of Claire Christie, the choir performs an exciting and varied repertoire, from classical masterpieces and sacred music to musical theatre, jazz, folk and contemporary favourites. Whether singing accompanied or a cappella, Toccata strives to deliver performances that inspire, entertain and connect with audiences.
Throughout its history, Toccata has enjoyed considerable success on the competition stage. The choir has won awards at festivals across the UK, including Blackpool, the Coleraine International Choral Festival, the Bangor International Choral Festival and the Glasgow Music Festival. More recently, the choir was honoured to receive the prestigious Glasgow Orpheus Choir Trophy Certificate for the best overall choral performance in 2016, 2018 and 2025, and won the choral class at the Perform in Perth Music Festival in 2026.
As well as competing, we are passionate about performing for our local community. We present annual concerts, support charities and community organisations, and have represented West Lothian internationally through twinning visits to Germany. In 2013, we were honoured to perform a specially commissioned work as part of Livingston’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
While we’re proud of our achievements, what truly defines Toccata is the welcoming and supportive atmosphere within the choir. We believe that singing should be enjoyable, rewarding and inclusive, and we love sharing that experience with our audiences.
