San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus

Last updated
San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
Sfgmc logo.jpg
Background information
Also known asSFGMC
Genres Broadway, choral, classical, jazz, popular
Occupation Men's Choir
Instrumentca. 300 voices
Years active 1978–present
MembersArtistic Director and Conductor
Jacob Stensberg
Assistant Conductor and Music Director of Homophonics
Mitch Galli
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Verdugo
Chief Advancement Officer
Jonathan Foulk
Principal Accompanist
Danny Sullivan
Associate Accompanist
Joan Cifarelli
Music Director of The Lollipop Guild
Paul Saccone
Past membersSFGMC Alumni Association
Website www.sfgmc.org

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) is the world's first openly gay chorus, one of the world's largest male choruses [1] and the group most often credited with creating the LGBT choral movement. [2]

Contents

The chorus was founded by gay music pioneer Jon Reed Sims. The group does not require that members identify as gay, bisexual, or male. The eligibility requirements for SFGMC are to be at least 18 years of age, to be able to sing in the Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone or Bass range, and to pass the audition process defined by the Artistic Director. With a membership of over 300, the SFGMC presents a wide range of music and performs for many different kinds of audiences.

Background

Early challenges

The SFGMC came into existence during the gay rights movement, which rose to national prominence after the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969. In 1977, openly gay candidate for San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk began traveling around the United States to present what came to be known as the Hope Speech. [3] Speaking as an openly gay elected public official, he urged gay people to come out of the closet to oppose anti-gay efforts such as the Briggs Initiative and Anita Bryant's Save Our Children campaign. Sims responded by forming the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band and Twirling Corps, the world's first openly gay and lesbian performing arts group, early in 1978 and the SFGMC later that year. The chorus held its first rehearsal on October 30, 1978.

However, the first public performance of the SFGMC took place exactly four weeks later, on November 27, at an impromptu memorial at San Francisco City Hall for Milk and Mayor George Moscone, who had been assassinated earlier that day by former Supervisor Dan White. [4] The SFGMC performed "Thou, Lord, hast been our refuge" ("Herr Gott, du bist unsre Zuflucht") by Mendelssohn at the event, which was attended by at least 25,000–40,000 mourners who had marched to City Hall from the Castro district, which was represented by Milk in the Board of Supervisors.

Sims, who specialized in conducting bands and orchestras, soon appointed Dick Kramer (1927–2007) as SFGMC conductor. The two men co-directed SFGMC's first official concert, which took place on December 20, 1978, at Everett Middle School, where the 115-voice chorus presented an eclectic program to a capacity crowd.

Despite the precedent set by the band, chorus members debated whether to use the word "gay" in its name:

I remember ... an argument over whether to include the word "gay" in the title. Until the mid to late '70s, any mention of gay was sensationalized and lurid. Gay bashing was tacitly approved. If a gay man called the police about being harassed, they would arrest him.

—  Tom Ammiano [5]

Being an openly gay organization presented certain challenges beyond the reluctance of some gay men to join because of the name. [6] In 1981, the SFGMC lost a controversial court battle when Superior Court Judge Ira Brown ruled that the Jesuits at the University of San Francisco could refuse to allow the chorus to sing at St. Ignatius Church. [7] A civil suit several months later awarded damages to the SFGMC. [8]

National tour

1981 red tour button on left Buttons (18329962726).jpg
1981 red tour button on left

Musically, the chorus was an instant success. Kramer's commitment to musical excellence was rewarded with many reviews praising the group's ability. [9] That success allowed the chorus to reach out to a wider audience with a 1981 national tour and a companion LP recording, The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981. During that tour, the chorus performed in nine cities: Dallas, Minneapolis (Orchestra Hall), Lincoln, Detroit, New York City, Boston, Washington D.C. (Kennedy Center), Seattle (Seattle Opera House), then returned to San Francisco for a triumphant performance at Davies Symphony Hall where San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein awarded SFGMC the key to the city—the first time that honor had been bestowed on a gay organization. [10] Although the tour was a critical and artistic success, it left SFGMC with a debt of US$200,000, which was covered in part by the mortgages on the homes of three members. The final payment on the debt was made in 1991, just a few months short of the tour's tenth anniversary. [11]

LGBT choral movement

The tour and recording helped spark the formation of many LGBT choruses in the United States and around the world, including the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Vancouver Men's Chorus in Canada, and the Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus in Australia. [2] By 1982, choruses were performing in many cities across the US, Canada, Europe (for instance, Stockholms Gaykör, Sweden) and a global LGBT choral movement had begun to take shape. SFGMC founding member Jay Davidson helped create the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses) and served as its first board president. [12] LGBT singers in other parts of the world created similar organizations, including LEGATO, an association for lesbian and gay choirs and ensembles in Europe established in 1997, and SING OUT! – the Association of Lesbian and Gay Choirs in the UK and Ireland. There are now more than 250 LGBT choruses worldwide.

New music

1993 March on Washington for LGB Equal Rights and Liberation (1993) March on Washington for LGB Equal Rights and Liberation -- 64.jpg
1993 March on Washington for LGB Equal Rights and Liberation

In the late 1970s, gay choral music was virtually nonexistent. Because the SFGMC wanted to perform music relevant to its members and audience, the group commissioned many works, slowly building a new repertoire for men's choruses as well as for the LGBT community. In 1979, SFGMC member Tad Dunlap composed what is possibly the first-ever gay-specific choral piece, "I Understood," with lyrics from one of Harvey Milk's inspirational speeches. [13] The SFGMC's 1986 commission, Invocation and Dance by David Conte, was one of the earliest pieces to deal with AIDS, and is now considered a standard of American TTBB choral literature. [14] NakedMan, a song suite by Philip Littell and Robert Seeley commissioned by the SFGMC in 1996, instantly became one of the most important works in gay choral literature and is still widely performed by LGBT choruses. [15] "Never Ever", the final movement of NakedMan, has found its way into the repertoire of high school and college choirs, especially as a graduation piece. [16] Dr. Stan Hill, SFGMC's conductor from 1989 to 2000, was a driving force behind many commissions. [17] In honor of its 30th anniversary in 2008, the chorus commissioned and performed new works by composers David Conte, Eric Lane Barnes, Ilyas Iliya, L. Peter Deutsch, Libby Larsen, and Steve Schalchlin.

Recent commissions

In 2011, Stephen Schwartz created Testimony, a choral work using lyrics taken from submissions to Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project. The Chorus premiered Testimony in March 2012, [18] and it has now been performed by several other gay men's choruses.

Also in 2011, the Chorus announced plans to commission a major new work based on the life and legacy of Harvey Milk. [19] The work, entitled I Am Harvey Milk and with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, premiered at Nourse Theatre on June 26, 2013—the same day on which the US Supreme Court ruled that Section 4 of DOMA and California Proposition 8 were both unconstitutional. Its Broadway premiere occurred on October 6, 2014. [20]

In its 37th season, the Chorus premiered "New Year's Carol," with music by Ola Gjeilo and words by Charles Anthony Silvestri, and also performed the Bay Area premiere of Jake Heggie's For a Look or a Touch opera.

In March 2014, the Chorus performed the world premiere of Tyler's Suite, dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, a young gay man who died by suicide in 2010 after experiencing bullying. Co-commissioned with several other gay choruses, it features movements composed by Stephen Schwartz, John Corigliano, Jake Heggie, and Ann Hampton Callaway, all set to poetry by Pamela Stewart. Callaway joined the Chorus on stage as a soloist.

In April 2015, the Chorus presented the world premiere of #twitterlieder, a 15-song cycle with music by James Eakin, set to lyrics by Charles Anthony Silvestri. Each song is a 140-character tweet.

AIDS

From the mid-1980s through the late 1990s, the chorus focused heavily on AIDS because of the huge impact the disease was having on its members and the broader LGBT community.

As AIDS took its toll, chorus members used concerts as a way to bring a sense of urgency to the public. The group's music became more somber and began including AIDS requiems. The chorus also became a place for members to talk openly about HIV and AIDS. Men shared tips on how to get into clinical drug trials and serenaded friends through their last breaths. For men who were fighting for their lives, often alone and estranged from parents who had turned their backs on gay children, the chorus became family.

— Meredith May [21]

Hill describes the era as "the worst of times", explaining that he spent every Wednesday and Sunday visiting members in hospitals. [22] Members and former members who died of AIDS and other causes became known as the chorus's "Fifth Section". [23]

In addition to commissioning and performing AIDS-related music, [24] the chorus participated in and presented concerts and other events to raise awareness and funds for AIDS health service and research organizations. [25] Although SFGMC lost over 250 members to the disease, [26] the organization survived, grew, and continued to exhibit passion for its mission. In 1998, for example, the chorus made its first international appearances in Sydney, Australia.

Community outreach

By the late 1990s, the chorus had survived the worst of the epidemic and was ready to resume a more active role as ambassador for the LGBT community. In 2000, with the appointment of conductor Dr. Kathleen McGuire, the SFGMC expanded its community outreach. Over the next few years, appearances included: Giving Back concerts, which raised funds for women in 2000, young people in 2002, and breast cancer and AIDS in 2002; the SFGMC's first by-invitation concerts for elementary and high school students in 2002 and 2003; a performance at Vacaville prison for World AIDS Day in 2003; programming to reach out to transgender, African American, and faith-based communities in 2004; participation in Special Olympics events (2003–2005); the addition of a Spanish-language ensemble in 2005; and sponsorship of an LGBT youth chorus in 2006. [27]

After a quarter-century of singing for gay rights, members of the SFGMC finally performed at St. Ignatius Church – this time without controversy – on Jan. 11, 2003, at a memorial for AIDS advocate and SFGMC alumnus, David Smith Fox (1952–2002). This was no minor event, with Nancy Pelosi and other dignitaries among the 600 attendees. [28] In 2018, St. Ignatius Church invited SFGMC to hold its 40th anniversary concert there. [29]

In January 2010, in response to the passage of Proposition 8, SFGMC launched its first California Freedom Tour with sold-out performances in Redding and Chico. To commemorate Harvey Milk's birthday in May, 2010, the chorus performed in Bakersfield and Fresno, and ended the 2010 tour with a trip to Vallejo in July. SFGMC chose these cities because they are parts of California that strongly supported Proposition 8. [30] The second California Freedom Tour, with performances in Bakersfield, Fresno, Redding and Vallejo, took place in April through July 2011. In 2012 also SFGMC traveled to Stockton and Sacramento, California, plus Denver, Colorado and Laramie, Wyoming.

In 2017, in response to anti-gay ballot measures, SFGMC toured seven Southern states. The tour, entitled the Lavender Pen Tour, featured sold-out houses in several cities and became the subject of a 2019 documentary, Gay Chorus Deep South , which was featured at several film festivals and won an Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. [31]

In 2018, SFGMC launched its RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Through Music) program, which sends chorus members on outreach visits to elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the Bay Area. [32]

Membership

Mission: To lead by creating extraordinary music and experiences that build community, inspire activism, and foster compassion at home and around the world.

— SFGMC Mission Statement, [33]

The SFGMC is a non-profit community arts organization made up of singers and non-singers, board members, staff and alumni. The SFGMC's board of directors is officially known as Golden Gate Performing Arts, Inc.

A number of chorus members also participate voluntarily in smaller ensembles, each with fewer than 25 singers. [34] These ensembles represent the chorus at outreach events, hold their own concerts, make recordings, and are featured regularly in concerts with the full chorus. Currently, there are three ensembles: The Lollipop Guild, founded in 1979, [35] and best known for its a cappella and Barbershop singing; Vocal Minority, founded in 2003, which specializes in vocal jazz and show choir repertoire; and SWAG, founded in 2013, which features a more urban sound and aesthetic and tight harmonies from the jazz and R&B genres. [36] A larger, ad hoc group called the Ambassadors also represents the chorus at outreach performances.

According to data gathered by the SFGMC Alumni Association, more than 1,800 men have been chorus members since 1978. Two founding members still sing with the group, along with several others who went on the 1981 tour. Auditions for new SFGMC members are held semi-annually, in January and August. In order to be eligible for membership, singers must pass an audition and be at least 18 years old. Identifying as gay is not a requirement, but members are expected to abide by the organization's mission. [37] While the chorus bylaws originally required members to be male, in 2021 the bylaws were re-written such that the "only requirement is the vocal ability to sing within the traditional tenor and bass vocal ranges", opening choir membership to trans, non-binary, and female singers. [38]

The appellation "Fifth Section" is reserved primarily for former members who died from various causes, including AIDS/HIV. Former Air Force Technical Sergeant Leonard Matlovich, who was never a formal member of the chorus but donated $6000 of his discrimination settlement with the Air Force to the Chorus' 1981 national tour, was inducted into the Fifth Section following his 1989 death from AIDS.

Performances

SFGMC presents an annual subscription concert series that includes holiday concerts in December; a spring concert at Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall — home of the San Francisco Symphony; an Annual Pride Concert with other San Francisco LGBT organizations; [39] plus a concert featuring the chorus's small ensembles and a cabaret featuring its soloists. In addition, one of the most popular of San Francisco's annual holiday events, Home for the Holidays, has been presented by the SFGMC annually since 1990 on Christmas Eve at the historic Castro Theatre. [40]

Through its SingOut Program, SFGMC also makes up to 50 community appearances each year, including ones that directly benefit local nonprofit and healthcare organizations. In recent years, SFGMC has helped to raise more than US$430,000 [41] for organizations such as the AIDS Foundation, AIDS Emergency Fund, STOP AIDS, Face to Face – Sonoma County AIDS Network, Stanislaus Community Assistance Project, Santa Cruz Assistance Project, Napa Solano Health Project, Lyon Martin Women's Health Services, Breast Cancer Fund, American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, Larkin Street Youth Services, Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and Make-A-Wish.

Controversy

SFGMC generated controversy [42] when they released a song on YouTube on July 1, 2021 titled "A Message from the Gay Community". The lyrics were by Charlie Sohne and music by Tim Rosser with the chorus featuring lead vocals by Troy Iwata and Daniel Quadrino. The song, a satire of anti-LGBT rhetoric, talked about "converting" children to the gay rights movement, and included lines such as "We're coming for your children", "You won't approve of where they go at night", and "You think that we'll corrupt your kids... Funny, just this once, you're correct". There was a strong negative reaction to the song online from right wing outlets, with TMZ reporting that the group received death threats, [43] false accusations of several chorus members being pedophiles, and the video was temporarily set to private before being restored on July 9 along with a statement from the group.

Achievements

SFGMC has received many awards and honors, including several Cable Car Awards in the 1980s, [44] official recognitions from San Francisco and California elected officials, the Circles of Hope Award from the Metropolitan Community Foundation in 2003, [45] and Absolutely Fabulous Awards for floats in the San Francisco Pride Parade, most recently in 2011. In 2009, the Chorus was voted "Best Of The Bay" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian in the category "Best Music Organization" in the "Readers Poll – Classics" section. [46] The Chorus is featured in the award-winning documentary films Singing Positive in 1995 (with a sequel in 2009) [47] and Why We Sing in 2006. [48] SFGMC is featured in many recordings (see Discography below), including the 2005 and 2006 winners of the Out Music Awards for Outstanding New Recording: Chorus or Choir for CDs Oh Happy Day! and Home for the Holidays - Live at the Castro Theatre. [49] In June 2007, eMusicUK's Getting Started in Classical Music webpage listed the CD San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981 as one of 12 essential recordings considered Best of the Best.

SFGMC was heard around the world singing at San Francisco City Hall during the same-gender marriage ceremonies of February and March 2004, including for comedian and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell. [50]

In 2007-2008, supporting efforts to legalise same-sex marriage and to disparage the US military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, SFGMC performed in San Francisco and Miami, Florida, and released a DVD of U.S.S. Metaphor or The Lad Who Loved a Sailor, a satirical parody of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore. [51]

In May, 2008, SFGMC performed the song "Oh, Happy Day" at the 37th Academy of Gospel Music Awards, becoming the first gay chorus to appear at this event. [52] On May 4, 2009, SFGMC ensemble The Lollipop Guild performed at the Various Voices festival in London, marking the organization's debut in Europe. [53]

In June 2014, it was announced that SFGMC's recording of I Am Harvey Milk had won the 13th annual Independent Music Award for Best Soundtrack / Cast Recording. [54]

SFGMC has performed in Australia, Canada and across the United States, in such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York City, Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Sydney Town Hall, Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago and Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal. The Chorus has appeared and collaborated with numerous celebrities and arts organizations, including: San Francisco Symphony, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, Marin Opera, Opera By The Bay (Sausalito), San Francisco Ballet, The Women's Philharmonic, the Community Women's Orchestra, the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony, Holly Near, Deborah Voigt, Lisa Vroman, Carol Channing, Michael Feinstein, Florence Henderson, Nell Carter, Megan Mullally, Sir Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Sharon Gless, BD Wong, Cris Williamson, Joan Rivers, Nichelle Nichols, Barbara Cook, Julie Newmar, Armistead Maupin, Jennifer Holliday, Stephen Schwartz, Deke Sharon, Mark Etheredge, [55] Beach Blanket Babylon, Matt Alber, Andrew Lippa, Laura Benanti, and Patti LuPone.

SFGMC was invited to Los Angeles in the summer of 2014 as guests of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles for a combined performance of I Am Harvey Milk at Walt Disney Concert Hall. [56]

In January 2019, the Chorus announced it would purchase the former Baha'i Center at 170 Valencia Street, intending to convert it into the National LGBTQ Center for the Arts. [57]

In June 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, sparking the start of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, Queerty named The SFGMC one of the Pride50 trailblazers “who actively ensure society remains moving towards equality, acceptance and dignity for all queer people. [58] [59]

Leadership: Artistic Directors and Conductors

Discography

For more information, see catalogue at the SF Gay Men's Chorus official website.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Although the Seattle Men's Chorus and the Turtle Creek Chorale are both choruses of gay men and are of comparable size, the word "gay" is included in neither organization's title.
  2. 1 2 "Tim Seelig, the Turtle Creek Chorale's Artistic Director, Explains The Power of Harmony". Buzzflash. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  3. ↑ Shilts, Randy, The Mayor of Castro Street. 1982
  4. ↑ Herron Zamora, Jim (28 Nov 1998). "Moscone, Milk legacy hailed". Examiner. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  5. ↑ Ammiano, Tom (February 9, 1997). "Ammiano reflects on the changes over 35 years". Examiner. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  6. ↑ Marine, Craig (December 11, 1998). "Two decades of singing out". Examiner. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  7. ↑ Perkins, Laura (April 16, 2006). "Quake, Fire Devastate the City: Here's a look at the Bay Area's past". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  8. ↑ "History: 1980–1981 3rd Season". Golden Gate Performing Arts, Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-09.
  9. ↑ The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981 liner notes, 1981, lists quotations from Robert Commanday, San Francisco Chronicle, Allan Ulrich, San Francisco Examiner, and Heuwell Tircuit, San Francisco Chronicle.
  10. ↑ Rhynsburger, Mark. "On the Road with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus." The Advocate, Issue 324, page 27, August 20, 1981.
  11. ↑ "Chorus Bill Paid," Bay Area Reporter, January 21, 1982
  12. ↑ Attinello, Paul (July 15, 2004). "Choruses and Bands". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  13. ↑ According to a founding member of the SFGMC.
  14. ↑ A web search reveals that the piece has been performed at numerous state and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association.
  15. ↑ In a letter commemorating the work's 10th anniversary, Assemblyman Mark Leno wrote: "NakedMan continues to be one of the most important choral pieces ever found in the history of gay men's choral music." Concert program, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, April 17, 2006.
  16. ↑ One such example: "Dickinson State University holds commencement exercises". Dickinson State Digest Vol: 19 – Iss: 37, May 20, 2002. Archived from the original on March 27, 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  17. ↑ Hill is well known in GALA Choruses circles as being a passionate advocate for commissioning new LGBT works. For instance, Hill led the SFGMC's commissioning of NakedMan and its two sequels: Exile (also with the SFGMC) and Metamorphosis (with Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus). Hill often presents clinics and workshops at GALA Choruses conferences on the topic of commissioning new works.
  18. ↑ It Gets Better: "Testimony" by SF Gay Men's Chorus & Stephen Schwartz on YouTube
  19. ↑ "Creative Shout Out: Submit Title for Artistic Celebration – Harvey Milk Performance Piece Coming 2013". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  20. ↑ "I Am Harvey Milk" . Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  21. ↑ May, Meredith (4 June 2006). "Gay Men's Chorus carries on". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  22. ↑ Interview with Dr. Stan Hill in the documentary film, Why We Sing (June, 2006).
  23. ↑ The following article lists the names of chorus members of the Fifth Section. Note that other chorus members have died since publication: "Gay Men's Chorus carries on – The Fifth Section". San Francisco Chronicle. June 4, 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
  24. ↑ "Gay and lesbian choruses have performed many opposite works since early in the crisis, including reinterpretations of older songs. New cantatas written for them include Hidden Legacies by Roger Bourland and John Hall (1992) and Naked Man by Robert Seeley (1996)." Attinello, Paul (March 9, 2007). "Music and AIDS". glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  25. ↑ Ulrich, Allan (February 21, 1995). "'Classical Action' gala inspiring, entertaining". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  26. ↑ May, Meredith (June 4, 2006). "Gay men's chorus carries on". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  27. ↑ For more information about these activities, see: May, Meredith (March 10, 2002). "Teaching the reality of gay life: Oakland schoolkids learn a rare lesson". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06. "Year 2000 News Archive". QComedy.com. Retrieved 2007-03-09. "Newsletter Volume I". GLSEN San Francisco/East Bay. Spring 2002. Retrieved 2007-03-09. "MAXreport, September 2002". MAX Men's Associated Exchange. Retrieved 2007-03-09. "Singing Praises: Are you there, God?". Village Voice Media for SF Weekly. April 14, 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-09.Van Iquity, Sister Dana (October 26, 2006). "Back To The Fabulous '50s With Gay Men's Chorus". San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved 2007-03-06.Van Iquity, Sister Dana (May 25, 2006). "GLAM Youth Choir's Stirring Debut". San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved 2007-03-06.Spirit of the Season event programs, Special Olympics, 2003 – 2005; "Inside News," HEPP (HIV & Hepatitis Education Prison Project) Report, December 2003 Vol. 6, Issue 12, Page 9
  28. ↑ McMillan, Dennis. "Gay Men's Chorus Makes History – Emotional Events Mark Turning Points," San Francisco Bay Times, January 23, 2003.
  29. ↑ "SF Gay Men's Chorus to play church decades after archbishop rejected it". 19 October 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  30. ↑ Nevius, C.W. "Gay chorus hits hinterlands to open hearts," "San Francisco Chronicle," February 1, 2010.
  31. ↑ "Gay Chorus Deep South". www.gaychorusdeepsouth.com.
  32. ↑ "RHYTHM: Educational Youth Outreach Program" . Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  33. ↑ http://www.sfgmc.org, 2019
  34. ↑ SFGMC has included subgroups since 1979. Former ensembles include: Chamber Singers, Men About Town, Nota Bene, Swing Set, and an unofficial group, Automatic Pilot.
  35. ↑ According to SFGMC's official website, The Lollipop Guild was the first official sub-group of a gay chorus and is the longest-running group of its kind in GALA Choruses.
  36. ↑ "About the Chorus – Ensembles". Archived from the original on February 6, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
  37. ↑ SFGMC New Member Handbook, Golden Gate Performing Arts Inc., 2007
  38. ↑ Kosman, Joshua. "S.F. Gay Men's Chorus names new artistic director". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 19 Apr 2022.
  39. ↑ Held at various locations each June since 1979, this event is an official event of San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade and Celebration
  40. ↑ "Without anyone trying to make it so, the annual Christmas Eve concert at the Castro Theatre presented by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus has somehow become a sine qua non tradition ..."Chang, Chin (December 12, 2003). "Clef Notes – A month of the Bay Area's best orchestral and vocal music". SFGate. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
  41. ↑ "2010 LGBT Heroes". KQED inc. Archived from the original on 2014-06-19. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  42. ↑ Emma Powys Maurice (July 9, 2021). "Right-wing cranks flip out over hilarious Gay Men's Chorus song about teaching kids tolerance". Pink News.
  43. ↑ "SF Gay Men's Chorus Sticks by Controversial Song, Claim Death Threats". TMZ.
  44. 1 2 3 "Statement Issued By The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus," Bay Area Reporter, February 11, 1982
  45. ↑ "Posthumous Honor to SF Supervisor Harvey Milk Celebrates His Life & Legacy at 25th Anniversary of His Death". Common Dreams. September 16, 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  46. ↑ http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?page=11&entry_id=8921&catid=&volume_id=398&issue_id=447&volume_num=43&issue_num=49 [ dead link ]
  47. ↑ Carman, John (August 23, 1995). "Cinemax Profiles Courageous S.F. Gay Chorus". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  48. ↑ "Why We Sing: The Choruses". Why We Sing. Archived from the original on 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
  49. ↑ "Out Music Awards". Queer Music Heritage, compiled by JD Doyle. Retrieved 2007-02-17.
  50. ↑ Gordon, Rachel (February 27, 2004). "O'Donnell ties knot at City Hall". SFGate. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  51. ↑ Schalchlin, Steve (July 16, 2008). "GALA and the Fabulous USS Metaphor". Living in the Bonus Round. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  52. ↑ See: http://fromthepodium.blogspot.com/2008/03/march-2008.html
  53. ↑ See conductor's February 2010 blog entry and Various Voices concert program
  54. ↑ "The 13th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced". 3 June 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  55. ↑ "Oh Happy Day: Credits". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  56. ↑ http://www.gmcla.org, August 2013
  57. ↑ "LGBTQ Center for the Arts: A Vibrant National Home for Art and Activism" . Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  58. ↑ "Queerty Pride50 2019 Honorees". Queerty. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  59. ↑ Villarreal, Daniel (2019-06-23). "San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus stepped up when Harvey Milk was shot down". www.queerty.com. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  60. ↑ "Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  61. ↑ Whiting, Sam (July 14, 2000). "Stan Hill Takes a Final Bow". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
  62. ↑ Roe, Richard Allen. "McGuire Named Conductor Laureate". ChoralNet. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  63. ↑ Martine, Lord (April 27, 2001). "Changing tunes It's a whole new era for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
  64. ↑ "SF Gay Men's Chorus Gets New Conductor". "Bay Area Reporter".
  65. ↑ This title is omitted from the recordings listed at SFGMC's website.
  66. ↑ Compiled by Michael Panter and Peter Stark for wes zwei and digitally remastered by Don't Panic Service (Germany)
  67. ↑ Including and produced by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.
  68. ↑ Documentary of the GALA Choruses Festival, Montreal, 2004: www.WhyWeSing.org Archived 2007-02-10 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading

Related Research Articles

Automatic Pilot was a San Francisco, California band. Created in 1980 by members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, they were described by The Advocate as "a non-official offshoot" of SFGMC along with three official subgroups. Automatic Pilot soon came into their own as an independent force, creating a niche at the fringe of the nascent gay musical movement and a new musical style.

Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) is a choral group composed of queer persons from the Los Angeles area. Established in 1979, the GMCLA has grown in size, toured across the country and worldwide, and released 16 CDs. GMCLA has appeared with numerous stage, film, and television celebrities including Billy Porter, Lily Tomlin, Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Malcolm Gets, Doris Roberts, Jerry Herman, Melissa Manchester, Mary McDonnell, Levi Kreis, Joanna Gleason, Alex Newell, Amber Riley, Charles Pierce, Miss Coco Peru, Valarie Pettiford, Jane Lanier, Randi Driscoll, Margaret Cho, Michael Jeter, Stephen Schwartz, Liz Callaway, Lance Bass, Jennifer Holliday, Tierney Sutton, and LeAnn Rimes. The Chorus has appeared on several television broadcasts including the 85th Academy Awards, Access Hollywood, Will & Grace, $#*! My Dad Says, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Mad TV, a six-episode arc on Six Feet Under, and The Golden Bachelorette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus</span> LGBT choral group in Philadelphia, PA

The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) is a choral organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1981, it is one of the oldest gay men's choruses in the United States, and is a cultural fixture in Philadelphia. The Chorus is affiliated with the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA). The Chorus has performed with the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware, Anna Crusis Women's Choir, Phialdelpha Voices of Pride (PVOP) and has participated in several GALA festivals. The chorus is currently under the artistic direction of Michael Semancik, who is serving as the interim Artistic Director following the retirement of Joseph J. Buches after 20 years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Pride Band</span> Musical artist

The San Francisco Pride Band is a community-based concert, marching, and pep band in San Francisco. It is the official band of San Francisco. Founded in 1978, it was the first openly gay musical organization in the world. The band promotes visibility and musical education for the Bay Area's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (plus) (LGBTQ+) communities. Although a majority of its members are LGBTQ+, many are heterosexual allies who join to support the LGBTQ+ community and to participate in the community concert band, marching band, or pep band. The band presents musical programs that help build understanding between LGBTQ+ and other communities.

San Diego Men's Chorus (SDMC) was a men's chorus in San Diego, California, during the period of 1985 to 2009. The chorus was served by four artistic directors throughout its history, concluding, in its final years, with the direction of Jerry R. Foust, who had served previously as the assistant director for more than 18 months before assuming the artistic director position in January 2006.

Seattle Men's Chorus (SMC) is an LGBTQ community chorus based in Seattle, Washington. The group was founded in 1979, and today is, along with Seattle Women's Chorus, the largest community choral organization in North America. SMC is a member of GALA Choruses and Chorus America.

Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus (MGLC) was founded in Australia in 1990 by Lawrence McGuire (1966). The chorus was first named 'Alsounds', due to its part affiliation with the Foundation. In April 1994, the name was changed to Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus, reflecting the chorus's organizational independence and a desire to further challenge stereotypes.

The Queer Chorus of San Francisco (QCSF) was founded in 1980 by Jon Reed Sims (1947–1984). Initially known as the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Men’s Community Chorus, it was the world's first choral organization to use both "lesbian" and "gay" in its name, Within a few years, the chorus changed its name to Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco (LGCSF). In March 2022, by a vote of its membership, the group changed its name to "The Queer Chorus of San Francisco".

Diverse Harmony is an American youth chorus based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2002, it is the first Gay-Straight Alliance youth chorus in the United States. Today, Diverse Harmony is an LGBTQ-Ally youth chorus, and their stated mission is "to create a safe, affirming environment where everyone is accepted for who they are." In addition to singing members, the chorus has an extensive support network of volunteers, subscribers, and donors; they are also a non-profit organization. Diverse Harmony is a member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses, and was the first youth chorus to participate in a GALA Choruses Festival. The chorus appeared in the independent film Why We Sing, which has been screened at LGBT film festivals and on PBS stations across the United States.

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.

Jack Curtis Dubowsky is an American composer and author who has composed music for film, chorus, and concert performance. His music has been performed by the San Francisco Choral Artists, the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, Elevate Ensemble, and others.

Oakland Gay Men's Chorus (OGMC) is a choral ensemble of some 60 voices, headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay. Membership is open to singers with voices in the tenor, baritone, and bass ranges. The chorus sings an annual season of three programs with concerts held in various East Bay communities. In addition, the group performs several outreach programs throughout the community each year. Its mission: "The Oakland Gay Men's Chorus gives voice through song to a community where everyone matters".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Gate Men's Chorus</span> American Mens choir

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. The GGMC presents spring, summer, and winter programs annually, in addition to numerous guest and community benefit performances throughout the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Gay Men's Chorus</span>

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.

Jon 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ culture in San Francisco</span>

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) community in San Francisco is one of the largest and most prominent LGBT communities in the United States, and is one of the most important in the history of American LGBT rights and activism alongside New York City. The city itself has been described as "the original 'gay-friendly city'". LGBT culture is also active within companies that are based in Silicon Valley, which is located within the southern San Francisco Bay Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Seelig</span> American conductor, singer, and educator

Tim Seelig is an American conductor, singer, and educator. He is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. In addition, he guest-conducts and presents workshops in the US and around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance</span> American nonprofit organization

The GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance, sometimes GAPA, is a 501(c)(4) non-profit social welfare organization that was incorporated in February 1988 in San Francisco, California, as a social support group for gay and bisexual Asian Pacific Islander (API) men. It engages in direct social, cultural and political advocacy, with a vision of "a powerful queer and transgender Asian and Pacific-Islander (QTAPI) community that is seen, heard, and celebrated," and a mission "to unite our families and allies to build a community through advocacy, inclusion, and love."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Gay Men's Chorus</span> Vocalist group in Massachusetts, US

The Boston Gay Men's Chorus is a group of vocalists located in Boston, Massachusetts. The group currently has over 300 members and has been directed by Conductor Reuben Reynolds for over 20 years. The group is heard by over 10,000 audience members per season and has performed across the globe. The chorus performs songs from a wide variety of genres and song selections have been described as "hopeful and optimistic". The chorus has had over 1,600 members during its history and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall, and Jordan Hall.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.