Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus

Last updated
Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus
AGMC New Logo.png
Background information
Also known asAGMC
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres Choral, Broadway, classical, jazz, popular
Occupation(s) Men's chorus
Instrument(s)125 voices
Years active1981–present
Member ofGALA Choruses - https://galachoruses.org/
MembersArtistic Director
Donald Milton, III
Chairman-Board of Directors
Dan Dunlop
Executive Director
David Aurillio
Assistant Conductor
David G. Artadi
Chorus Membership President
Joey Jaworski
Chorus Membership President-Elect
Andrew Berardi
Principal Accompanist
Patrick Hutchinson
Website https://www.voicesofnote.org/atlanta-gay-mens-chorus

The Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus (AGMC) is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in Atlanta, Georgia (US). The AGMC, along with the Atlanta Women's Chorus, are managed under their parent organization, Voices of Note.

Contents

The AGMC's traditional concert season includes a Holiday Concert in early December at The Cathedral of St. Phillip in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, a Spring Concert in late April, and a Pride Concert in June. The AGMC is also a strong presence in the Atlanta LGBTQ Community due to their involvement in various charitable organizations, cultural events and the annual Atlanta Gay Pride Parade.

One of the world's longest-running gay choruses, the AGMC is a member of the international Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA), and it actively participates in collaborative performances and educational efforts with GALA member choruses worldwide. The AGMC is also a member of Chorus America, an organization dedicated to the expansion of the choral movement in North America.

History

In August 1981, a time when the gay-rights movement was just gaining momentum, founding Artistic Director Jeffrey D. McIntyre and 45 singers came together to form something quite new, especially in the South—a singing group. Auditions were held on August 29 and the first rehearsal was held in September with a charter membership of 45 singers. By the time the newly formed AGMC gave its premier performance at First Metropolitan Community Church on North Highland Avenue on October 18, membership had increased to 48. More than 300 people attended. Six weeks later, the AGMC presented its first Holiday Concert, Music of the Season, featuring ten decidedly Christmas songs, on November 29, 1981, at Grant Park United Methodist Church.

The AGMC was chartered in the U.S. state of Georgia as a domestic nonprofit organization on March 3, 1982, and was granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service in December 1982. The AGMC joined the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses), an international organization of gay, lesbian, and mixed choruses, on September 2, 1984. GALA has more than 185 member choruses with 10,000+ active members in 11 countries and hosts an international choral festival every four years (every three years in the 1980s). The AGMC has attended and performed in every festival since 1989, including Seattle, Washington, in 1989; Denver, Colorado, in 1992; Tampa, Florida, in 1996; San Jose, California, in 2000; Montreal, Québec, in 2004, Miami, Florida, in 2008, and Denver, Colorado, in 2012 and 2016. AGMC is set to perform at GALA Festival 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In 1984, the AGMC was the first gay organization to have a float in WSB-TV's annual Independence Day Salute 2 America Parade, and was included again in 1985. In 1994, the AGMC commissioned its first major work, Memento mori: an AIDS requiem by James Adler, which was world-premiered in 1996. In 1997 and again in 1998, the AGMC presented concerts at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Midtown Atlanta.

The AGMC has performed joint concerts with several other GALA choruses, including the New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus in the late 1980s, One Voice of Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1993, the Gateway Men's Chorus of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1994, le Choeur International Gai de Paris (the International Gay Men's Chorus of Paris, France) in 1996, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., in 1999, Turtle Creek Chorale of Dallas, Texas, in 2003, and several performances over the years with the Atlanta Feminist Women's Chorus (AFWC) . On July 14, 1986, the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus and the Atlanta Feminist Women's Chorus joined more than 500 other choral group members for a performance in Woodruff Park in the middle of downtown Atlanta.

The AGMC has also performed joint concerts with several special guests, including the Derivative Duo (Seattle, Washington) in 1995, Dr. Maya Angelou in 1998, the Atlanta Ballet in 1999, Matt Alber in 2015, and Jessica Vosk in 2022. For many years, the AGMC was a regular performer in the annual Heartstrings fundraiser for AIDS , St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church's annual Olde English Festival and, from 1996 to 1998, was also a featured performer at First Night Atlanta. The AGMC was the featured entertainment at the annual Southern Comfort Transgender Conference for many years. In 2000, the AGMC presented a benefit concert for the Birmingham AIDS Network in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2001, the AGMC, AFWC, and Atlanta Freedom Marching Band hosted a benefit concert for the victims and survivors of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. In 2002, the AGMC performed at the post-inaugural reception for City of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the first time any LGBT organization had participated in such an event. The AGMC was invited to perform for the City of Atlanta Mayor's Inaugural Pride Reception, started by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in 2018. Since then, the AGMC has been invited back to perform again at the 2nd Annual Pride Reception in 2019, and the 4th Annual Pride Reception in 2022, which was continued and hosted by the City of Atlanta Mayor, Andre Dickens.

In 2001, a quartet from the AGMC performed the national anthem at an Atlanta Braves home game, [1] and in 2002, the entire chorus returned to do the same. [2] Mayor Shirley Franklin issued a proclamation declaring that day, June 5, 2002, as "Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus Day" in the City of Atlanta. The AGMC is the only openly gay performing arts organization to perform the national anthem at an Atlanta Braves game. The AGMC continues to perform the National Anthem each year at the Atlanta Hawks games, including for their Atlanta Hawks Pride Night.

On December 20, 2013, the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus became the first openly gay group to be invited to and perform at the Georgia State Capitol building. The performance was coordinated by Artistic Director Kevin Robison and Georgia State Rep. Karla Drenner. Ms. Drenner and other local dignitaries also attended the performance.

On March 12, 2014, the Georgia House of Representatives passed Resolution HR 1787 commending the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus for its legacy and hard work. Representative Karla Drenner championed the Resolution through the House. The Resolution passed the House on the very day that the AGMC performed in the Rotunda of the Georgia State Capitol.

In the summer of 2023, a group of about 30 members from the AGMC performed in Bologna, Italy for the Various Voices European Choir Festival, from June 14–18, 2023 [3] . They two performances: they first performed on June 16, 2023 at the MAMbo - Modern Art Museum of Bologna under the direction of Donald Milton III. They also presented a selection of music on June 17, 2023, at the Teatro Arena del Sole, in The Leo de Berardinis Hall for an audience of over 450 people from other choruses from around the world.

Artistic Directors

Current Artistic Director

Donald Milton, III is the AGMC's current Artistic Director. He joined the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus in January 2018, bringing an impressive background in conducting, music education and music administration. Milton also serves as the full time Director of Music at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA), the largest UU congregation in the Southeast. [4] Active in the Atlanta music scene, he has served as the executive director of the Atlanta Master Chorale, artistic director of the DeKalb Choral Guild, founder and artistic director of Lux Atlanta, and founder of Sky Punch, a company that produces sing-alongs, concerts and other interactive community music events.

Milton has extensive experience as an educator, including teaching general music at an alternative school for emotionally impaired youth. He is an active choral clinician, guest conductor, lecturer and performer. He studied at the University of Michigan School of Music, with concentrations in education, conducting and vocal pedagogy. [5]

Previous Artistic Directors

Discography

Performances

1st Concert Season: 1981–1982

2nd Concert Season: 1982–1983

3rd Concert Season: 1983–1984

4th Concert Season: 1984–1985

5th Concert Season: 1985–1986

6th Concert Season: 1986–1987

7th Concert Season: 1987–1988

8th Concert Season: 1988–1989

9th Concert Season: 1989–1990

10th Concert Season: 1990–1991

11th Concert Season: 1991–1992

12th Concert Season: 1992–1993

13th Concert Season: 1993–1994

14th Concert Season: 1994–1995

15th Concert Season: 1995–1996

16th Concert Season: 1996–1997

17th Concert Season: 1997–1998

18th Concert Season: 1998–1999

19th Concert Season: 1999–2000

20th Concert Season: 2000–2001

21st Concert Season: 2001–2002

22nd Concert Season: 2002–2003

23rd Concert Season: 2003–2004

24th Concert Season: 2004–2005

25th Concert Season: 2005–2006

26th Concert Season: 2006–2007

27th Concert Season: 2007–2008

28th Concert Season: 2008–2009

29th Concert Season: 2009–2010

30th Concert Season: 2010–2011

31st Concert Season: 2011–2012

32nd Concert Season: 2012–2013

33rd Concert Season: 2013–2014

34th Concert Season: 2014–2015

35th Concert Season: 2015–2016

36th Concert Season: 2016–2017

37th Concert Season: 2017–2018

38th Concert Season: 2018–2019

39th Concert Season: 2019–2020

40th Concert Season: 2020–2021

41st Concert Season: 2021–2022

42nd Concert Season: 2022–2023

43rd Concert Season: 2023–2024

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References

  1. "Braves' Decision Upsets Many Fans". The Miami Herald. 2001-08-09. The Atlanta Braves received hundreds of written and telephone complaints for selling a block of tickets to a group leading Atlanta's bid for the 2006 Gay Games.
  2. "Big moments: Gay chorus reflects on 30 years" Project Q, 11/12/2010
  3. boscolo.marco@gmail.com (2023-03-26). "Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus". Various Voices 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  4. "UUCA Staff". Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta. UUCA. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  5. url=https://www.voicesofnote.org/staff-leadership
  6. "About Us". Kennesaw State University Community & Alumni Choir. KSUCAC. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  7. Powers, Sean (Nov 28, 2017). "Artistic Director Of Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus Stepping Down". GBP News. Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 26 November 2018. Next month, a major force within the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus steps down from his post. After 10 years, Kevin Robison will leave the chorus as its artistic director.
  8. Correspondent, Chris Starrs Staff (2023-08-04). "Voices of Note to present 'Everything Old is New Again' Aug. 12 at the Aurora Theatre". Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved 2023-08-14.