New York City Gay Men's Chorus
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 three decades.
History
The New York City Gay Men's Chorus (NYCGMC) was founded in August 1980 under the leadership of conductor Gary Miller. Their first season culminated in a sold out concert with the Riverside Symphony at Alice Tully Hall in June 1981 which featured new pieces or newly arranged works by Leonard Bernstein, Jack Gottlieb, Calvin Hampton, John Mueter, Stephen Sondheim, and Glen Vecchione.[1] Music critic Allen Hughes in his review in The New York Times wrote:
"The chorus is less than a year old, having been organized last August, but there was nothing about it that suggested immaturity. Musicianship and diction were exemplary, the dark tuxedos worn by all singers made for neat appearance, and the entrances and exits had been planned to achieve optimum efficiency, dignity and style."[1]
In 1982 the chorus became one of the founding members of the GALA Choruses along with The Stonewall Chorale, the Anna Crusis Women's Choir, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and a handful of other choruses[2] and the following year the chorus was host to the "first national gay choral festival" presented by GALA at Alice Tully Hall. In addition to the NYCGMC, the festival featured performances by gay choruses from Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, Madison, Wis., Anaheim, Calif., and New Orleans. The festival featured two world premieres: Libby Larsen's Everyone Sang and Ned Rorem's Whitman Cantata.[3] In 1984 the chorus performed at the Eastern Division Conference of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). It was the first time that the ACDA had featured a gay chorus at one of its conventions.[4]
In 1985 the NYCGMC participated in a high profile AIDS Benefit, The Best of the Best: A Show of Concern, at the Metropolitan Opera House; appearing alongside such legends as Burt Bacharach, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carole Bayer Sager, Carol Burnett, Ellen Burstyn, Colleen Dewhurst, Marilyn Horne, Melissa Manchester, Bette Midler, Christopher Reeve, Brooke Shields, Lily Tomlin, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.[5] The chorus has continued to perform regularly in benefits for a variety of organizations and causes, including arts education funding for New York schools.[6]
Throughout its history the NYCGMC has been committed to supporting contemporary composers. In 1985 the chorus established an annual choral competition, the first winner of which was John Burge's Songs of War.[7] In a July 1985 review music critic Bernard Holland wrote: "The creation of homosexual singing ensembles in recent years provides more than just a sense of cultural community. Good music for concerted male voices has occupied major composers only marginally in the past, and enthusiastic performers such as the New York City Gay Men's Chorus are providing an outlet and an inspiration for new music."[7] As of 2011 the NYCGMC has commissioned more than 100 choral works, including Conrad Susa's The Chanticleer's Carol (1981),[8] Stuart Raleigh's Words for the Future (1985),[7] David Conte's Invocation and Dance (1987),[9] and Frank Ferko's Humoresques (1987).[9]
European Concert Tours
In 1988 the NYCGMC became the first American gay chorus to tour Europe with performances in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Germany and Paris. The performances were all used as benefits for the local communities to raise funds to combat the AIDS crisis in those cities. In London, the concert was hosted by Ian McKellen and featured the iconic Eartha Kitt.
The Chorus would return to Europe in 1991 to promote their third recording - Love Lives On. This tour featured performances in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Berlin, Munich and Paris. Again the performances raised funds for local AIDS charities. In London the host for the concert was Simon Callow. In Amsterdam the Chorus performed in a concert benefit for the Dutch National AIDS Fund. The concert, Friends For Life, featured soprano Roberta Alexandra and the Dutch National Police Band. The concert was recorded as well as televised on national television.
The Chorus toured Europe a third time in 1998, sharing the stage with the Seattle Men's Chorus. This tour covered Barcelona, Spain, Paris, Amsterdam and London. In addition to their own performance in Amsterdam, the choruses also took part in the cultural part of the Gay Games V.
In June 2014, the Chorus returned to London once more to perform with the London Gay Men's Chorus. The performance was at the Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall. While in London, the Chorus also performed at the US Embassy at a reception hosted by US Ambassador Matthew W. Barzun. After their performance in London, the Chorus traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to take part in the European LGBT Choral Festival, Various Voices. The Chorus performed took part on the Festival stage and also performed at the US Embassy in Dublin. The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre was the site for a special performance of Big Gay Sing: Club Night Out was a benefit performance to raise funds for the Marriage Equality drive in Ireland. A check for €30,000 was presented to Marriage Equality in Ireland.
Performance History
Season | Holiday Concert | Spring Concert | Pride Concert |
---|---|---|---|
2014-2015 | Home for the Holidays | Big Gay Sing 7: Movie Mania! | Generation Y |
2013-2014 | What A Wonderful World | Big Gay Sing 6: Club Night Out | Four Choirs and a Cathedral |
2012-2013 | An American Holiday | Big Gay Sing 5: Broadway | America the Beautiful? |
2011-2012 | Holiday House of Love | Big Gay Sing 4 | What Now?(!) |
2010-2011 | Sing Your Brass Off! | Big Gay Sing 3D | (Accentuate the) Positive |
2009-2010 | Together at Town Hall | Big Gay Sing 2 | High |
2008-2009 | Holiday Spectacular | Big Gay Sing | Outreach Performances |
2007-2008 | Holiday Spectacular | Take the A Train (NJPAC) | Vibrate |
2006-2007 | Holiday Spectacular | Classically NYCGMC | Take the A Train |
2005-2006 | Holiday Spectacular | You Oughta Be in Pictures | Our Journey |
2004-2005 | Silver Bells | Absolutely 80s | Season in Pride |
2003-2004 | Twisted Holiday | A Great Generation | Out on Broadway |
2002-2003 | A Holiday Homecoming | Viva La Diva | Pride for All Ages |
2001-2002 | Holiday Flourish | We Are Family | Music for Michael Mouse |
2000-2001 | Ring in the Season | 2001: A Choral Odyssey | Diversity |
1999-2000 | Comfort and Joy | Old Friends | A Gay Century Songbook |
1998-1999 | Seasons of the Heart | Swellegant Elegance | Common Ground |
1997-1998 | Near to Us Once More | The Man I Love | Look to the Rainbow |
1996-1997 | A Christmas Garland | Jerry's Boys | Naked Man |
1995-1996 | Deck the Hall! | With a Song in Our Heart | Out with Our Friends |
1994-1995 | A Family Holiday | Operantics | Out with Our Friends |
1993-1994 | Making Spirits Bright | Live In Concert | Flashpoint/Stonewall |
1992-1993 | Joyful and Triumphant! | Reel Music | Our Songs Have Changed Us |
1991-1992 | Wassail! | Bernstein! | Proud! |
1990-1991 | Deck the Hall! | Anything Cole | Diversity! |
1989-1990 | Masters in This Hall | Rhapsody | Toasting the Tenth |
1988-1989 | Noel! Noel! | Sondheim Tonight! | Together in Pride! |
1987-1988 | Welcome Yule! | Ten Cents a Dance! | Share the Pride! |
1986-1987 | Deck the Hall! | NYCGMC: The Movie! | We, the People! |
1985-1986 | Home for the Holidays | In Living Color! | A Bi-Coastal Affair! |
1984-1985 | A Holiday Sampler | Back to Broadway | Singing Out Proud! |
1983-1984 | Home for the Holidays | One Night Only! | Together at Last |
1982-1983 | Winter Settings | Fascinatin' Rhythms | In Concert |
1981-1982 | Christmas at Carnegie Hall | Valentine's Concert | At Alice Tully Hall |
1980 - 1981 | Live at Cooper Union | This Time Broadway | Testament of Freedom |
Music Directors/Artistic Directors
There have been five music directors of the Chorus in its 35 years. Gary Miller, 1980-1998[10] Barry Oliver, 1998-2001 Jeffrey Maynard, 2001-2005 Gary Miller, Casey J. Hayes, co-directors, 2005-2007 Dr. Charles Beale, 2007-2015
Recordings
The Chorus has produced eight recordings. The first two recordings were the first ever given to a gay chorus by a major label. They were on the Pro Arte label. The third and fourth recordings were on the Virgin Classics label. The fifth, seventh and eighth were independently produced by the Chorus. The sixth recording was on the DRG label.
- Festival of Song, 1984
- New York, New York, 1984
- Christmas Comes Anew, 1991
- Love Lives On, 1991
- Look to the Rainbow, 1998
- Gay Century Songbook, 2000
- Holiday Homecoming, 2002, recorded Live at Carnegie Hall
- Classically NYCGMC, 2007, recorded at Merkin Hall
Notable guest artists
Many notable entertainers and ensembles have performed with the NYCGMC as guest artists or hosted NYCGMC concerts, including the following:
- Roberta Alexander
- Mitchell Anderson
- Ant
- Jim Bailey
- Kaye Ballard[11]
- Michele Bautier
- John Bayliss
- Laurie Beechman
- Hunter Bell
- Vicki Belmonte
- BETTY
- Christina Bianco
- Harolyn Blackwell[12]
- Susan Blackwell
- Heidi Blickenstaff
- Stephen Bogardus
- Jeff Bowen
- Stephen Brinberg
- Betty Buckley[11]
- Julie Budd
- Charles Busch
- Dean Butler
- Ann Hampton Callaway
- Liz Callaway[13]
- Michael Callen
- Simon Callow
- Carolee Carmello[14]
- David Carroll
- Jim Caruso
- Joyce Castle
- Carol Channing[15]
- Stockard Channing[16]
- Walter Charles
- Kristin Chenoweth[16]
- Petula Clark
- Victoria Clark
- Kay Cole
- Judy Collins
- Betty Comden
- Barbara Cook
- Daugherty and Field
- Jim David
- Frenchie Davis
- Shane Davis
- Kathryn Day
- Darius deHaas
- Lea DeLaria
- Loretta Devine
- Colleen Dewhurst[17]
- Baby Jane Dexter
- Denny Dillon[11]
- Natalie Douglas
- Debra Ann Draper
- Nancy Dussault
- George Dvorsky
- Daisy Eagan
- Faith Esham
- Holly Faris
- Tovah Feldshuh
- Tommy Femia
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson
- Harvey Fierstein
- The Flirtations
- Beth Fowler
- Joy Franz
- Helen Gallagher
- Joanna Gleason
- Judy Gold
- Emily Golden
- Debbie Shapiro Gravitte[11]
- Kevin Gray
- Adolf Green
- Amanda Green
- Ellen Greene
- Joel Grey[18]
- Jerry Hadley[19]
- Stephen Hanan
- Ann Harada
- Sam Harris[16]
- Debbie Harry
- Gean Harwood
- Constance Hauman
- Jerry Herman[20]
- Peggy Hewitt
- The High-Heeled Women
- Mimi Hines
- Jackie Hoffman
- Marilyn Horne[21]
- Hot Lavender
- Harry Huff
- Karen Huffstodt
- Imperial Court of New York
- George S. Irving[11]
- Jimmy James
- James Judy
- Just Good Friends
- Judy Kaye
- Lainie Kazan
- Larry Kert
- Jessica Kirson
- Eartha Kitt[22]
- Terri Klausner
- Philip Koch
- Alexandra Korey
- Julie Kurnitz
- Coco LaChine
- Nancy LaMott[16]
- Cyndi Lauper
- Debbie Lennon
- Jenifer Lewis
- Larry Lipnik
- Emily Loesser
- Dorothy Loudon
- Greg Louganis
- Rebecca Luker
- Heather MacRae
- Indra Mahajan
- Manhattan Rhythm Kings
- Karen Mason
- Armistead Maupin
- Andrea McArdle
- Liz McCartney
- Julia McGirt
- Maureen McGovern[11]
- Sir Ian McKellen
- John McMartin
- Terrence McNally[19]
- Sharon McNight
- Marilyn Michaels
- Theodora Middleton
- Liza Minnelli[15]
- Liliane Montevecchi
- Melba Moore
- Rita Moreno
- Kim Morgan
- Jennifer Muller/The Works
- Julia Murney
- Mystery Date
- Holly Near
- Bebe Neuwirth
- Scott Nevins
- Phyllis Newman
- Marni Nixon[16]
- Philip Officer
- Kelli O'Hara
- Kurt Ollmann
- Robert Osborne
- Our Lady J
- Panti Bliss
- Anders Paulsson
- Rosie Perez
- Roberta Peters[19]
- Billy Porter
- Faith Prince
- Sondra Radvanovsky[16]
- Ron Raines
- Meredith Rawlins
- Lee Roy Reams
- Rex Reed
- Ann Reinking[13]
- Caroline Rhea
- Alice Ripley
- Bobby Rivers
- Joan Rivers
- Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson
- Jamie Rocco
- Jai Rodriguez
- Ned Rorem
- George Rose[13]
- Justin Ross
- Michael Rupert
- Vito Russo
- Roz Ryan
- Camille Saviola[13]
- Jay Sears
- Jane Shaulis
- Thos Shipley
- Sia
- Christopher Sieber
- Ira Siff
- Emily Skinner
- Randy Skinner
- Liz Smith
- Marily Sokol
- Stephen Sondheim[15]
- David Staller
- Elly Stone
- Billy Stritch
- Elaine Stritch[23]
- Jo Sullivan
- KT Sullivan
- Terry Sweeney
- Sylvia Syms
- John Tartaglia
- Indra Thomas
- Benita Valente
- Danitra Vance
- Robert Verdi
- Bruce Vilanch
- Deborah Voigt[24][25]
- Frederica von Stade[19]
- Claudia Waite
- Fredi Walker Browne
- Martha Wash
- Cynthia Watters
- Elizabeth Welch
- Westminster Concert Bell Choir
- Alton Fitzgerald White
- Lillias White
- Terri White
- Margaret Whiting
- Jaston Williams
- Julie Wilson
- B.D. Wong[16]
- Arthur Woodley
- Rachel York
- Karen Ziemba
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Allen Hughes (June 27, 1981). "Concert: Gay Men's Chorus Directed By Gary Miller". The New York Times.
- ↑ http://galachoruses.org/about/history
- ↑ Edward Rothstein (September 13, 1983). "Concert: 'First Gay Choral Festival'". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Gay Men's Chorus Wins Right To Use Name In S.J.", San Jose Mercury News, January 29, 1986
- ↑ Stephen Holden (November 4, 1985). "AIDS Benefit Show At The Met Opera". The New York Times.
- ↑ Jennifer Dunning (December 23, 1985). "STAGE: 'SPECTACULAR,' A DOWNTOWN BENEFIT". The New York Times.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Bernard Holland (June 30, 1985). "Concert: Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times.
- ↑ Theodore W. Libbey (December 10, 1981). "Music: Christmas Songs By The Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Bernard Holland (June 28, 1987). "Concert: New York City Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times.
- ↑ Joyce Wadler (June 25, 1998). Public Lives A Baton Is Passed. The New York Times.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 "Tribute to Broadway". The New York Times. March 23, 1984.
- ↑ Bernard Holland (June 26, 1995). "In Performance; Classical Music". The New York Times.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Stephen Holden (April 6, 1985). "Music: A Salute To Broadway". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Hark! The Angels Sing, and the Carolers Too". The New York Times. December 12, 2014.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Lawrence Lerner (July 19–25, 2006). "In a chorus of their own, gay youth find their voice". The Villager.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Michael Portantiere (December 26, 2001). "Chorus of Approval". www.theatermania.com.
- ↑ "SEASONAL SOUNDS. A December to Remember", Newsday, December 5, 1986
- ↑ Marcia Biederman (June 11, 2000). "Journey to an Overlooked Past". The New York Times.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "Stars and Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. March 9, 1995.
- ↑ "A love song to Jerry Herman", Journal News, April 3, 2003
- ↑ "Marilyn Horne and Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. January 7, 1990.
- ↑ "The Gay Men's Chorus Sings For A Cause", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 1988
- ↑ Morgan Allen (16 December 2005). "PHOTO CALL: Elaine Stritch Takes the Stage with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus". Playbill.
- ↑ James Barron (December 18, 2001). "Boldfaces". The New York Times.
- ↑ Anthony Tommasini (December 20, 2004). "Poignancy's Shadow Hovers Over Echoes of Holiday Cheer". The New York Times.