- 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.
Contents
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, 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.[2] 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.[3]
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, Christopher Reeve, Brooke Shields, Lily Tomlin, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.[4] The chorus has continued to perform regularly in beneifts for a variety of organizations and causes, including arts education funding for New York schools.[5]
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.[6] 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."[6] As of 2011 the NYCGMC has commissioned more than 100 choral works, including Conrad Susa's The Chanticleer's Carol (1981)[7], Stuart Raleigh's Words for the Future (1985)[6], David Conte's Invocation and Dance (1987)[8], and Frank Ferko's Humoresques (1987).[8]
Notable guest artists
Many notable entertainers and ensembles have performed with the NYCGMC as guest artists or hosted NYCGMC concerts, including the following:
References
- ^ a b Allen Hughes (June 27, 1981). "Concert: Gay Men's Chorus Directed By Gary Miller". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/27/arts/concert-gay-men-s-chorus-directed-by-gary-miller.html.
- ^ Edward Rothstein (September 13, 1983). "Concert: 'First Gay Choral Festival'". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05E5DF1038F930A2575AC0A965948260.
- ^ "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. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A03E7D61438F937A35752C1A963948260.
- ^ Jennifer Dunning (December 23, 1985). "STAGE: 'SPECTACULAR,' A DOWNTOWN BENEFIT". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/23/arts/stage-spectacular-a-downtown-benefit.html.
- ^ a b c Bernard Holland (June 30, 1985). "Concert: Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0917F6355D0C738FDDAF0894DD484D81.
- ^ Theodore W. Libbey (December 10, 1981). "Music: Christmas Songs By The Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/10/arts/music-christmas-songs-by-the-gay-men-s-chorus.html.
- ^ a b Bernard Holland (June 28, 1987). "Concert: New York City Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE4DC1E31F93BA15755C0A961948260.
- ^ a b c d e f "Tribute to Broadway". The New York Times. March 23, 1984. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/23/arts/tribute-to-broadway.html.
- ^ Bernard Holland (June 26, 1995). "In Performance; Classical Music". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE2D8133AF935A15755C0A963958260.
- ^ a b c d e Stephen Holden (April 6, 1985). "Music: A Salute To Broadway". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E2D81238F935A35757C0A963948260.
- ^ a b c Lawrence Lerner (July 19 - 25, 2006). "In a chorus of their own, gay youth find their voice". The Villager. http://www.thevillager.com/villager_168/inachorusoftheirown.html.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Michael Portantiere (December 26, 2001). "Chorus of Approval". www.theatermania.com. http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm?int_news_id=1850&showComments=all.
- ^ "SEASONAL SOUNDS. A December to Remember", Newsday, December 5, 1986
- ^ Marcia Biederman (June 11, 2000). "Journey to an Overlooked Past". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/11/nyregion/journey-to-an-overlooked-past.html.
- ^ a b c d "Stars and Gay Men's Chorus". The New York Times. March 09, 1995. http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/09/arts/stars-and-gay-men-s-chorus.html.
- ^ "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. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D8133EF934A35752C0A966958260.
- ^ "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. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96855-PHOTO-CALL-Elaine-Stritch-Takes-the-Stage-with-the-New-York-City-Gay-Mens-Chorus.
- ^ James Barron (December 18, 2001). "Boldfaces". The New York Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C11FE3F5A0C7B8DDDAB0994D9404482.
External links
Categories:- American choirs
- Gay men's choruses
- Musical groups established in 1980
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.