Gay mens chorus chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Founded in 1983, the Chicago Same-sex attracted Men's Chorus is celebrating four decades of song.
Chorus director Kevin Corbett said back then, "being same-sex attracted in the community was not fully recognized; it wasn't fully supported. So these people came together through song to welcome who they were."
At that time, some chorus members were concerned about putting their names in a concert program.
"If someone came to the concert, a friend of a ally saw the name, that could lead to repercussions for them socially or at work," said Corbett.
The chorus has also grown in numbers from 57 to 300. Corbett said much of the growth came after the pandemic.
"I think we were isolated for so long; people wanted that connection; we were missing community," he said.
Although they no longer perform with the chorus, Chris Way and Jason Ott are fans and supporters.
"I loved the community," Wray said. "I loved people coming together to perform and show themselves in a really supportive and inclusive environment."
Ott said, "The chorus is part of my DNA and will always be part of who I am. I've made some really great friends."
Chris and Jason first met at a concer
Chicago Gay Men's Chorus
Over 1750 singers have been a part of CGMC in our first 32 years. The chorus was an immediate punch upon its founding in 1983. “Chicago has given birth to potentially the finest gay men's chorus in America," raved Gay Chicago's Richard Noland. "The versatility and liveliness outshines that of other gay choruses."
What began as a group of 56 singers performing in a high university auditorium once per year has grown into a community of 250 singers with a year-round performance schedule. The chorus continues to be a prominent member of both Chicago’s cultural and gay communities. In 2003, CGMC became the first queer chorus (and the largest group of any kind) to sing the national anthem at a Chicago Cubs game, which the chorus now does on an annual basis. Other honors during the chorus’s history include being a part of the Chicago arts community’s benefit concert for the victims of September 11; Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2001 and currently has four cd-recordings available: Cool Yule, featuring jazzy holiday selections; I Will Be Loved Tonight, a collection of our favorite love s
Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus
2936 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657
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2936 N. Southport Ave.,
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Chicago, IL 60657
Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus is an inclusive, community-based performing arts group that creates musical experiences to entertain and enlighten, inspire modify, and build community. Through colorful performances that blend traditional choral music with musical theater, jazz and pop, and a queer aesthetic, we seek to delight our audiences, enrich our members and explore issues relevant to LGBT people and their allies—enlivening Chicago’s cultural landscape and creating a better community for all.
With more than 200 members backed by a small army of volunteers, the CGMC family covers a diverse cross-section of the Chicago metropolitan area. Under the innovative guidance and inspired direction of Artistic Director, Jimmy Morehead, CGMC delivers a distinctive brand of entertainment that keeps our audience coming back again and again. Our members log thousands of hours annually to accomplish an ambitious schedule of performances, fund-raisers and charitable appearances.