San Diego Men's Chorus

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San Diego Men's Chorus

Background information
Also known as	SDMC
Origin	San Diego, California, USA
Genre(s)	Broadway, choral, classical, jazz, popular
Occupation(s)	Men's Choir
Instrument(s)	70 voices
Years active	1985-present
Website	www.sdmc.org
Members
Artistic Director Jerry R. Foust Principal Accompanist Glenn Ward Assistant Accompanist Drew Bell
Former members
Gay Men's Chorus of San Diego

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San Diego Men's Chorus (SDMC) has been providing entertainment for San Diego, California since 1985. A member of the GALA Choruses, SDMC performs some of the finest choral literature from a variety of genres. The Chorus also does many outreach performances each season, and supports local LGBT organizations and HIV/AIDS organizations in the San Diego area.

The San Diego Men's Chorus is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under the Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code.

The Chorus is currently under the direction of Jerry R. Foust, who served previously as the Assistant Director for 18 months before assuming the Artistic Director position in January 2006.

[edit] History

San Diego Men's Chorus was founded in May of 1985 by a small group of committed singers who felt a need to provide San Diego with a quality presentation of men's choral music. Membership was open by audition, and, on September 9, 1985, a total of 55 men were in attendance at the first weekly rehearsal.

SDMC was assisted by members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, which, in August of that year, staged a fundraiser concert at the Casa del Prado Theater in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Thus, the new chorus in San Diego was able to begin with US$1,500 already in the coffers. SDMC has been financially healthy ever since.

SDMC has had many noteworthy achievements in its twenty plus year history:

Performed numerous formal concerts in such venues as Shrine Auditorium and Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Denver's Buell Hall, and the University of Washington, Seattle. Local venues include San Dlego's Copley Symphony Hall, Spreckels Theatre, Mandeville Auditorium at UCSD, Mandell Weiss Theatre (La Jolla Playhouse), The Grand Ballroom of the Cafe del Rey Moro in Balboa Park, Bahia Hotel and several area churches including the First Unitarian Universalist and University Christian Churches).

Collaborated in artistic efforts with San Diego Opera, Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Three's Company Dancers, and San Diego Symphony.

Performed jointly with other gay and lesbian arts groups, including: San Diego Women's Chorus, Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, Turtle Creek Chorale, Portland Lesbian Choir, South Coast Chorale from Orange County, Desert Voices from Tucson, Long Beach Men's Chorus, Orlando Gay and Lesbian Chorus, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and America's Finest City Freedom Band.

Received artistic grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Combined Arts and Educational Council (COMBO), City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, and the State of California.

Performed in Heartstrings: An Event in Three Acts in 1990 and Heartstrings: The AIDS Memorial Quilt and You in 1992 (excerpts from the 1992 performance were shown on national television in the summer of that same year).

Received Carol Channing's Diamond Award in 1995 for our involvement in DIFFA and fundraising for AIDS Charities.

Significant events in the late 1990s include singing at the White House during the holiday season, singing and dancing at the Super Bowl half-time show, and singing at San Diego Padres games.

In the Summer of 2004, the Chorus made its international debut by performing at the GALA Choruses international choral festival in Montreal, Canada in front of thousands of spectators from around the world.

In the fall of 2005, the Chorus moved into its new permanent performance home, the refurbished 730-seat Birch North Park Theatre. The Chorus has its office suite on the second floor of the 1930's building.

In April 2006, the Chorus presented 20/20 Reflections, a celebration of music from its two-decade past. And in October 2006, the Chorus became the first gay chorus to be featured as mainstage entertainment on a major oceanliner when it presented "On the Good Ship..." on the Diamond Princess operated by Princess Cruises for a manifest 2,600 of passengers.

[edit] Giving Back

San Diego Men's Chorus has made donations of concerts, concert tickets, and money to organizations such as San Diego AIDS Foundation, Auntie Helen's Fluff-n-Fold, Mama's Kitchen, Special Delivery, Human Rights National Committee, Creative Response, San Diego American Indian Health Center, San Diego Hospice, Being Alive-San Diego, Fraternity House, and Positively Speaking. The annual Pride benefit concert performed along with other San Diego area gay & lesbian musical organizations has become an anticipated tradition.