San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus
Background information
Also known as	SFGMC
Genres	Broadway, choral, classical, jazz, popular
Occupation(s)	Men's Choir
Instruments	ca. 300 voices
Years active	1978–present
Associated acts	Ambassadors, The Lollipop Guild, Men About Town, Nota Bene, Vocal Minority, SWAG
Members	Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Timothy Seelig Assistant Conductor and Music Director of Homophonics Mitch Galli Executive Director Chris Verdugo Chief Advancement Officer Jonathan Foulk Principal Accompanist Lynden Bair Associate Accompanist Joan Cifarelli Music Director of The Lollipop Guild Paul Saccone
Past members	SFGMC Alumni Association

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) is known as the world's first openly gay chorus. It is also one of the largest male choirs globally. Many people believe this group started the whole movement of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) choruses around the world.

The chorus was started by a music pioneer named Jon Reed Sims. Interestingly, members do not have to identify as gay, bisexual, or even male to join. To be part of SFGMC, you need to be at least 18 years old. You also need to be able to sing in the Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, or Bass range. Finally, you must pass an audition set by the Artistic Director. With over 300 members, the SFGMC performs many different types of music for all kinds of audiences.

The Story of SFGMC: A Chorus for Change

Starting Strong: Early Days

The SFGMC began during a time when the gay rights movement was growing. This movement became very important after the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969. In 1977, Harvey Milk, an openly gay politician in San Francisco, traveled around the United States. He gave speeches encouraging gay people to be open about who they were. He wanted them to stand up against efforts that were unfair to gay people.

Jon Sims, the founder, responded to this call. He first formed the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band. This was the world's first openly gay and lesbian performing arts group, created in early 1978. Later that year, he formed the SFGMC. The chorus had its first practice on October 30, 1978.

Their very first public performance was just four weeks later, on November 27. It was a special memorial at San Francisco City Hall. They sang for Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone, who had both passed away that day. The SFGMC performed a song by Mendelssohn. Thousands of people attended this event.

Sims, who was good at leading bands, soon chose Dick Kramer to be the SFGMC conductor. They both led the chorus's first official concert on December 20, 1978. The 115-voice chorus performed to a full house.

Even with the success of the band, chorus members discussed whether to use the word "gay" in their name. Being an openly gay group brought some challenges. For example, in 1981, a court ruled that a church could refuse to let the chorus sing there. However, a later lawsuit awarded damages to the SFGMC.

Touring America: Spreading the Music

The chorus quickly became musically successful. Their commitment to great music earned them many good reviews. This success allowed them to reach more people with a national tour in 1981. They also released an LP album called The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981.

During this tour, the chorus performed in nine cities across the United States. When they returned to San Francisco, Mayor Dianne Feinstein gave the SFGMC the key to the city. This was the first time a gay organization received such an honor. The tour was a big artistic success. However, it left the SFGMC with a large debt. Members helped cover this debt, and it was fully paid off in 1991.

Inspiring Others: The LGBT Choral Movement

The tour and album helped start many other LGBT choruses. These groups formed in the United States and around the world. Examples include the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C. and the Boston Gay Men's Chorus. By 1982, LGBT choruses were performing in many cities. A global LGBT choral movement had truly begun.

SFGMC founding member Jay Davidson helped create the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses). This organization supports LGBT choirs. Today, there are more than 250 LGBT choruses worldwide.

Creating New Music: Songs for the Community

In the late 1970s, there was almost no choral music specifically for gay people. The SFGMC wanted to perform songs that were meaningful to its members and audience. So, the group asked composers to create many new works. This slowly built a new collection of songs for men's choruses and the LGBT community.

In 1979, SFGMC member Tad Dunlap wrote "I Understood." This was possibly the first-ever gay-specific choral piece. Its lyrics came from a speech by Harvey Milk. In 1986, the SFGMC asked David Conte to write Invocation and Dance. This was one of the first pieces to talk about AIDS. It is now a well-known piece in American choral music.

NakedMan, a song suite from 1996, became a very important work in gay choral music. It is still performed widely by LGBT choruses. "Never Ever," the last part of NakedMan, is even sung by high school and college choirs, especially for graduations. Dr. Stan Hill, who led SFGMC from 1989 to 2000, encouraged many of these new songs. For their 30th anniversary in 2008, the chorus asked several composers to create new works.

Recent Works and Collaborations

In 2011, Stephen Schwartz created Testimony. This choral work used words from submissions to Dan Savage's It Gets Better Project. The chorus first performed Testimony in March 2012. Other gay men's choruses have performed it since.

Also in 2011, the chorus planned a new work about the life of Harvey Milk. This piece, called I Am Harvey Milk, was written by Andrew Lippa. It premiered on June 26, 2013. This was the same day that important court rulings happened for marriage equality in the US. It later premiered on Broadway in 2014.

In March 2014, the chorus performed Tyler's Suite for the first time. This work featured music by composers like Stephen Schwartz and John Corigliano. In April 2015, they performed #twitterlieder, a song cycle where each song was a 140-character tweet.

Facing Challenges: The AIDS Epidemic

From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, the chorus focused a lot on the AIDS epidemic. This disease had a huge impact on its members and the wider LGBT community.

Dr. Hill described this time as "the worst of times." He explained that he often visited members in hospitals. Members who passed away from AIDS and other causes became known as the chorus's "Fifth Section."

The chorus performed music about AIDS and held concerts to raise money and awareness. Even though SFGMC lost over 250 members to the disease, the group kept going. In 1998, they even performed internationally in Sydney, Australia.

Reaching Out: Community Connections

By the late 1990s, the chorus had survived the worst of the epidemic. They were ready to become more active in the LGBT community. In 2000, with new conductor Dr. Kathleen McGuire, the SFGMC expanded its community work.

Over the next few years, they did many things:

• Giving Back concerts raised money for women, young people, breast cancer, and AIDS.
• They held concerts for elementary and high school students.
• They performed at Vacaville prison for World AIDS Day.
• They created programs to connect with transgender, African American, and faith-based communities.
• They participated in Special Olympics events.
• They added a Spanish-language singing group.
• They sponsored an LGBT youth chorus.

After many years, members of the SFGMC finally performed at St. Ignatius Church in 2003. This was for a memorial for an AIDS advocate and former chorus member. In 2018, St. Ignatius Church invited SFGMC to hold its 40th anniversary concert there.

In 2010, the SFGMC started its California Freedom Tour. They performed in cities that had strongly supported a law called Proposition 8. This law had limited marriage rights for same-sex couples. The chorus chose these cities to share their message of acceptance. They continued these tours in 2011 and 2012, visiting places like Stockton, Sacramento, Denver, and Laramie.

In 2017, the SFGMC toured seven Southern states. This tour, called the Lavender Pen Tour, was in response to anti-gay measures. It was very successful and became the subject of a 2019 documentary film, Gay Chorus Deep South.

In 2018, SFGMC started its RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Through Music) program. This program sends chorus members to visit schools in the Bay Area.

Joining the Chorus: Membership and Mission

Mission: To lead by creating extraordinary music and experiences that build community, inspire activism, and foster compassion at home and around the world.

– SFGMC Mission Statement

The SFGMC is a non-profit arts group. It includes singers, non-singers, board members, staff, and former members.

Some chorus members also sing in smaller groups, each with fewer than 25 singers. These groups perform at outreach events, hold their own concerts, and are often featured in the main chorus concerts. Currently, there are three such groups:

• The Lollipop Guild: Started in 1979, known for a cappella and Barbershop singing.
• Vocal Minority: Started in 2003, specializes in vocal jazz and show choir music.
• SWAG: Started in 2013, has a more urban sound with tight harmonies from jazz and R&B.

A larger group called the Ambassadors also performs at outreach events.

More than 1,800 men have been chorus members since 1978. Two founding members still sing with the group. Auditions for new members happen twice a year, in January and August. To join, singers must pass an audition, be at least 18 years old, and identify as male. Being gay is not required, but members are expected to support the group's mission.

The "Fifth Section" is a special name for former members who have passed away, including those from AIDS/HIV.

Performances and Community Impact

SFGMC performs a series of concerts each year. These include holiday concerts in December and a spring concert at Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. They also have an Annual Pride Concert with other San Francisco LGBT groups. One very popular event is Home for the Holidays, performed every Christmas Eve at the historic Castro Theatre since 1990.

Through its SingOut Program, SFGMC also makes up to 50 community appearances each year. Many of these events raise money for local non-profit and healthcare organizations. In recent years, SFGMC has helped raise over US$430,000 for groups like the AIDS Foundation, Special Olympics, and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Awards and Achievements

SFGMC has received many awards and honors. These include Cable Car Awards in the 1980s and official recognitions from San Francisco and California officials. In 2003, they received the Circles of Hope Award. They have also won Absolutely Fabulous Awards for their floats in the San Francisco Pride Parade. In 2009, the San Francisco Bay Guardian voted them "Best Music Organization."

The chorus is featured in award-winning documentary films like Singing Positive (1995) and Why We Sing (2006). SFGMC has many recordings, and some have won Out Music Awards for "Outstanding New Recording: Chorus or Choir." In 2007, their CD San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981 was listed as one of 12 essential classical recordings.

SFGMC was heard worldwide singing at San Francisco City Hall during the same-gender marriage ceremonies in 2004. In 2008, they became the first gay chorus to appear at the Academy of Gospel Music Awards. In 2009, their group The Lollipop Guild performed in London, marking the organization's first performance in Europe.

In 2014, SFGMC's recording of I Am Harvey Milk won an Independent Music Award for Best Soundtrack.

SFGMC has performed in Australia, Canada, and across the United States. They have sung in famous venues like Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Sydney Town Hall. The chorus has also performed with many famous artists and groups.

Since Dr. Tim Seelig became Artistic Director in 2011, SFGMC has grown a lot. They have seen more members and larger audiences. In December 2013, the chorus returned to the War Memorial Opera House after many years. In 2014, they were guests of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles for a special performance of I Am Harvey Milk.

In 2019, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Queerty named The SFGMC one of the Pride50 trailblazers. These are people who help society move towards equality and acceptance for all queer people.

Leaders of the Chorus: Artistic Directors and Conductors

• Jon Reed Sims (Oct. 1978)
• Dick Kramer (Nov. 1978 – Jan. 1982)
• Ernie Veniegas (1982–1984)
• Gregg Tallman (Aug. 1985 – June 1989)
• Dr. Stan Hill (July 1989 – July 2000)
• Dr. Kathleen McGuire (Aug. 2000 – Dec. 2010)
• Dr. Timothy Seelig (January 2011 – present)

Discography: SFGMC Albums

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus has released many albums over the years, sharing their music with a wider audience. Some of their notable recordings include:

• Tours America '81 (1981)
• NakedMan (1996)
• Our Gay Apparel (1995)
• Misbehavin' with Nell Carter (1999)
• SFGMC Does Queen (2002)
• Home for the Holidays – Live at the Castro Theatre (2005)
• Why We Sing (DVD 2007)
• I Am Harvey Milk (2013)
• Unbreakable (2019)

For a complete list, you can visit the official SF Gay Men's Chorus website.