| Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | AGMC |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | Choral, Broadway, classical, jazz, popular |
| Occupations | Men's Chorus |
| Instruments | 105 voices |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Associated acts | Panache (small select ensemble) |
| Website | www.agmchorus.org |
| Members | |
| Artistic Director Kevin Robison Chairman of the Board of Directors Ryan Walton Interim Executive Director Russ Bralley President Ron Chenoweth Principal Accompanist Peyson Moss Assistant Conductor David G. Artadi Vocal Coach T. N. Retif, DMA |
|
The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus (AGMC) is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). The AGMC's traditional concert season includes a Holiday Concert in early December, a Spring Concert in late April, and a Pride Concert in July.
Contents |
The AGMC was founded in August 1981 by Jeffrey D. McIntyre, who served as its first Artistic Director. Auditions were held that month 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 all but the first two, including Seattle, Washington, in 1989; Denver, Colorado, in 1992; Tampa, Florida, in 1996; San Jose, California, in 2000; Montreal, Québec, in 2004 and Miami, Florida, in 2008.
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 [1] in the late 1980s, One Voice (Charlotte, North Carolina)[2] in 1993, the Gateway Men’s Chorus (St. Louis, Missouri)[3] in 1994, le Choeur International Gai de Paris (the International Gay Men’s Chorus of Paris, France)[4] in 1996, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.[5], in 1999, Turtle Creek Chorale (Dallas, Texas)[6] in 2003, and several performances over the years with the Atlanta Feminist Women’s Chorus (AFWC)[7].
The AGMC has also performed joint concerts with several special guests, including the Derivative Duo (Seattle, Washington) in 1995, Dr. Maya Angelou in 1998, and the Atlanta Ballet in 1999. For many years, the AGMC was a regular performer in the annual Heartstrings fundraiser for AIDS [8], 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 Conference for the transgendered community 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 [9] 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 GLBT organization had participated in such an event.
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. 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.
Kevin Robison has been Artistic Director since August 2007. Formerly Assistant Conductor of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles and Artistic Director of South Coast Chorale in Long Beach, California, Mr. Robison is the AGMC's first full-time artistic director. The Southern California resident served as Resident Director of Music for the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and on the faculties of Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal-Poly Pomona, and Cal-State Fullerton. Robison has been actively involved with ensembles associated with GALA Choruses (the international association of gay and lesbian choruses) for six years. He has received commissions from some of the leading men's choruses in the nation, including the New York City Gay Men's Chorus, Seattle Men's Chorus, Turtle Creek Chorale of Dallas, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus. Robison's arrangements have been sung on stage by a number of prominent performers, including Malcolm Gets, Jenifer Lewis, Lily Tomlin, Joanna Gleason, Susan Egan and others. He has also collaborated on productions with Del Shores of Sordid Lives fame, Kate Clinton and Miss Coco Peru. Much of his music for male voices has been performed and/or recorded by the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, including his tribute to the music of Kander and Ebb, They Had it Coming, which received an OutMusic Award nomination for best new CD in 2005.