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The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. In its inaugural performance 14 choruses performed together in September 1982 in San Francisco as part of the first Gay Games. It aims to foster artistic and organizational development within its member choruses. The association includes almost 10,000 vocalists in over 100 associated choruses singing as male, female and mixed ensembles in a wide variety of styles. GALA Choruses produces a large festival every four years, in addition to a number of smaller annual workshops and conferences.
The San Francisco Girls Chorus, established in 1978 by Elizabeth Appling and celebrating its 40th anniversary during the 2018-2019 Season, is a leading regional center for music education and performance for young women, ages 4–18, based in San Francisco. Each year, more than 300 singers from 45 Bay Area cities participate in SFGC's programs. The organization consists of a professional-level performance, recording, and touring ensemble and a six-level Chorus School training program. A leading voice on the Bay Area and national music scenes, the Chorus has produced award-winning concerts, recordings, and tours, empowered young women in music and other fields, enhanced and expanded the field of music for treble voices and set the international standard for the highest level of performance and education. The Chorus has been the recipient of 5 GRAMMY Awards, 4 Chorus America/ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music, and the Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence from Chorus America. SFGC's Chorus School has been described as "a model in the country for training girls' voices" by the California Arts Council.
San Diego Men's Chorus (SDMC) provided entertainment for San Diego, California, during the period of 1985 to 2009. A former member of the Gay & Lesbian Association of Choruses, SDMC performed some of the finest choral literature from a variety of genres. The Chorus offered numerous 'outreach performances' each season, and supported local LGBT organizations and HIV/AIDS organizations in the San Diego area.
The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) is the world's first openly gay chorus, one of the world's largest male choruses and the group most often credited with creating the LGBT choral movement.
Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus (MGLC) was founded in Australia in 1990 by gay performer and activist, Lawrence McGuire. The chorus was first named ALSOUNDS, due in part to its affiliation with the ALSO Foundation. In April 1994, the name was changed to Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus, reflecting the chorus's organisational independence and a desire to further challenge stereotypes.
The Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco (LGCSF) was founded in 1980 by Jon Reed Sims (1947–1984). The world's first choral organization to use both "lesbian" and "gay" in its name, LGCSF is dedicated to building and enriching its communities through the universal language of music.
The Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus (AGMC) is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). The AGMC, along with the Atlanta Women's Chorus, are managed under their parent organization, Voices of Note.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. (GMCW), is one of the oldest LGBT choral organizations in the United States. With more than 300 singing members, it is also one of the largest. The chorus's stated mission is that it "delights audiences and champions gay equality with robust artistry, fun, and surprise." In addition to singing members, GMCW has nearly 100 support volunteers, 400 subscribers, 500 donors and an annual audience of nearly 10,000. The parent organization is the Federal City Performing Arts Association, Inc., and GMCW is a member of GALA Choruses.
The Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus (TCGMC) is a choral group in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. The all-male chorus sings a variety of songs arranged for TTBB, ranging from Broadway show tunes to Latin motets to original compositions specially commissioned by the Chorus or written by its members.
Voices in Harmony (VIH), is an all-volunteer, 80+ voice male a cappella chorus. Known for its mastery of technically demanding close harmony, its diverse repertoire encompasses music from the classics to jazz, contemporary to patriotic, pop and traditional choral selections. Voices in Harmony was founded in 2006 and is based in San Jose, California. VIH is currently under the musical direction of Chris Hébert. Now in their 7th year, VIH has rapidly become one of the finest a cappella choruses in the world.
The Vancouver Men's Chorus is a non-profit choir. Composed of gay men and their friends, the chorus aims to promote community spirit and a positive image of the gay community. The Chorus is a member of the Vancouver Cultural Alliance, the British Columbia Choral Federation and of GALA Choruses, an association of over one hundred men's, women's, and mixed choruses from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, dedicated to providing leadership and inspiration to the gay and lesbian movement through excellence in the choral arts.
The Ragazzi Boys Chorus is a boys' and young men's chorus in the San Francisco Bay Area and is known for winning a Grammy Award for Best Classical Album in 2000 for its participation in Perséphone with the San Francisco Symphony. The chorus was formed in 1987 with 6 boys, and it now includes more than 250 singers from 100 schools in 30 Bay Area communities including San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. The choir has placed highly in numerous international competitions. It also auditions the most singers to either national or state American Choral Directors Association honor choirs each year.
Masterworks Chorale is a choral ensemble based in San Mateo, California.
Heartland Men’s Chorus (HMC) is a gay men’s chorus located in Kansas City. Founded in 1986, and currently featuring more than 150 singing members, HMC performs an annual concert series to live audiences in excess of 6,700 at its performance home, the Folly Theater. In addition to its subscription concert series, HMC regularly performs community outreach, reaching an estimated 8,000 additional audience members. The Chorus is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and, as a performing force, is the largest men’s chorus in the region. In terms of infrastructure and budget, HMC is the largest community chorus in the region. HMC is also the oldest cultural institution serving the LGBT community in the region.
Golden Gate Men's Chorus (GGMC) is a gay men's chorus founded in 1982 and located in San Francisco. The GGMC is a group of 50 ethnically and socially diverse gay and gay-supportive men, and is dedicated to giving voice to the gay community through song. The GGMC presents spring, summer, and winter programs annually, in addition to numerous guest and community benefit performances throughout the year.
The New York City Gay Men's Chorus is a choral organization in New York City that has been presenting an annual concert season for more than four decades.
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) is a gay-identified, non-profit choral group based in Portland, Oregon. The group was founded in the spring of 1980 when three founding members, inspired by a performance of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, placed an ad in a local gay newspaper looking for potential members. Soon after, on June 19, 1980, the group sang in their inaugural concert at the Metropolitan Community Church of Portland. PGMC is the fourth oldest chorus to publicly identify as gay by using that description in their official name.
John Reed Sims, was an American choir conductor born in Smith Center, Kansas.
Dr. Kathleen Alison McGuire is a choral and orchestral conductor, arranger, composer, music educator, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Known also for her work with social justice and human rights organizations, from 2000 to 2010 she served as the first female artistic director and conductor of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus – the world's first openly gay choral organization – and in 2010 she established Singers of the Street: a choir of people affected by homelessness in San Francisco. She became a US citizen in 2011 and in 2013 returned to Australia to serve as director of music at Queen's College and co-artistic director of the School of Hard Knocks. In 2006 she was a grand marshal in the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. Her contributions have officially been recognized by the California Senate and State Assembly, and "Kathleen McGuire Day" was designated twice in her honor by San Francisco mayors Gavin Newsom and Edwin Lee.
The Anna Crusis Women's Choir is the oldest existing feminist choir in the United States, and is considered to be a founder of the North American LGBT choral movement. It was established by Catherine Roma in 1975 in Philadelphia, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Including both lesbian and straight women, Anna Crusis is the earliest formed of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) and the first women's chorus to become a member of GALA.
References
- ↑ Kosman, Joshua (June 5, 2007). "Dick Kramer -- pioneering leader of gay choral singing". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
- ↑ Hilfiker, Christina; Id, Correspondentarticle (December 9, 2006). "Gay men's chorus to perform holiday concerts". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 2009-01-05.