A global choir, united in song.
This Make Music Day, singers across the globe will come together for Taking Flight — an innovative choral experience connecting communities through music.
On June 21, at venues in Canada, Germany, Ghana, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Turkiye, the U.K., and the U.S., members of the public will gather to learn a popular song in multi-part harmony. After this rehearsal, a global streaming broadcast will begin, where each choir will perform their song live, taking turns so that every participating country can watch every other country’s live performance on a large screen at the front of each room.
Taking inspiration from birds, whose songs transcend national boundaries, choral directors in each country have selected songs for their choirs on the theme of “Taking Flight.” The event will close with a collective rendition of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” sung by every group in harmony around the world.
Taking Flight is coordinated by Hugh’s Room Live, an independent music venue in Toronto Canada that previously joined Make Music Day in 2024 for Pulsations. All Taking Flight events are open to anyone, with absolutely no charge, drink minimum, or age restriction. The public is coming to sing! The more the merrier!
Taking Flight: Livestream Schedule for Saturday, June 21, 2025
South Africa
1:40pm EDT (Toronto)
6:40pm BST (London)
7:40pm local time
Live from Potchefsroom
Songs: Homeless (Ladysmith Black Mambazo), Imbube (Solomon Linda), and Doo Bee Doo (Freshlyground)
Conducted by Hava-ja-toivo Carels, with NWU Community Music and the Potchefsroom Community Band “Stage Revolution”
Nigeria
1:50pm EDT (Toronto)
6:50pm BST (London)
6:50pm local time
Live from Lagos
Songs: Over the Moon (Dr. Sid ft K-Switch), Update (Burna Boy) and Bank On It (Burna Boy)
Conducted by David Favour Aigbodion and David Favour Akpojisheri, with Make Music Lagos Artist Community Bands: ARB Band, Lovesick, Young Crez and The Frolic Band
Ghana
2:00pm EDT (Toronto)
7:00pm BST (London)
6:00pm local time
Live from the Alliance Française, Accra
Song: Dadie Anoma (Kojo Antwi)
Conducted by Renolds Kwame Addow
Northern Ireland
2:10pm EDT (Toronto)
7:10pm BST (London)
7:10pm local time
Live from the Accidental Theater, Belfast
Song: The Whole of the Moon (The Waterboys)
Conducted by Siobhan Brown, with Beyond Skin, Soulrane and the Cairde Community Choir
Turkiye
2:20pm EDT (Toronto)
7:20pm BST (London)
9:20pm local time
Live from ArtPoint, Istanbul
Song: Ey Özgürlük (Zülfü Livaneli)
Conducted by Çelik Kasapoğlu, with the Ladies and Gentlemen İstanbul choir
Germany
2:30pm EDT (Toronto)
7:30pm BST (London)
8:30pm local time
Live from Hotel Seeloge, Eutin
Conducted by Pierre Bertrand, with Classical Beat European Jazz Companions and Choir Vox Mandala
Mexico
2:40pm EDT (Toronto)
7:40pm BST (London)
12:40pm local time
Live from the Arocena Museum Auditorium, Torreón
Songs: Tú Si Sabes Quererme (Natalia Lafourcade and Los Macorinos), El Rey (José Alfredo Jiménez)
Conducted by Alex Serhan
USA
2:50pm EDT (Toronto)
7:50pm BST (London)
1:50pm local time
Live from Arts + Literature Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin
Songs: Birds of a Feather (Billie Eilish), Fly Me To the Moon (Frank Sinatra)
Conducted by Emily Volland
Canada
3:00pm EDT (Toronto)
8:00pm BST (London)
3:00pm local time
Live from Hugh’s Room, Toronto
Songs: Bird on the Wire (Leonard Cohen), Heart of Gold (Neil Young)
Conducted by Don Naduriak