Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC) is a community band based in New York City. Founded on September 24, 1979 as the New York Gay Community Marching Band, LGBAC is the third oldest community band in the United States dedicated to serving the LGBT community. The mission of LGBAC is to provide the lesbian and gay community with a supportive and friendly environment for musical and artistic expression and, through performance, to promote social acceptance, equality, and harmony for all. Membership is all-inclusive, predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, and the band welcomes heterosexual players as well . The band performs year-round as both a concert band and a marching band.
As a concert band, LGBAC traditionally produces two concerts each year, one in the fall and the other in the spring. Chamber music concerts are offered occasionally.
As a marching band, LGBAC marches in a wide variety of events, predominantly but not limited to gay pride marches, July 4th parades, and the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. The marching band includes a featured baton twirler, ballet dancers, color guard and honor guard.
[edit] Notable achievements
December 1980: the first openly gay musical organization to perform at Lincoln Center in Alice Tully Hall.
November 1982: joined bands in Chicago from seven cities to become charter members of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA).
June 1987: the only LGBT musical organization to march in the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty.
March 1989: the first LGBT musical organization to perform for a sitting U.S. President George H. W. Bush in the bicentennial celebration of George Washington's Presidential Inauguration.
November 1989: received proclamation from Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins in honor of the band's 10th anniversary. Concert produced with master of ceremonies Harvey Fierstein.
January 1993 & 1997: the first LGBT musical organization (as part of a LGBA massed band) to perform at the Inauguration of a U.S President Bill Clinton
June 1998: filmed as the subject of the documentary film The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps: We're the Marching Band Your Mother Warned You About produced by Leslie Regina Becker and Sandra Gonzalez. The film was shown at several film festivals around the country, and won Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short at Reeling '99, the Chicago Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. The film is repeatedly aired on PBS.
June 2003: debuted on the stage of Carnegie Hall as guests of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus.
May 2004: received proclamations from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields in honor of the band's 25th Anniversary.
