JULY, 2009

DEAR FRIENDS,

It’s great to be back! In this month’s column, please read about:

• My sabbatical in review
• Fall Cabaret: What A Wonderful World
• 20th Annual Home For The Holidays: your help needed
• Hope to see you at an SFGMC event this summer

MY SABBATICAL IN REVIEW

I am thrilled to be back from my sabbatical and excited to start up again with the chorus in the fall. I have returned well rested and newly inspired by my experiences in Australia. As you may have heard, the trip included some personal challenges, including my younger sister being diagnosed with lymphoma (she's now in full remission) and I fell off a horse and broke my arm! On the mend now, though. On behalf of my family, thank you to everyone for your encouragement, prayers and good wishes. (If you're interested in reading about some of my personal travel experiences, visit my Facebook Notes. You'll need a Facebook account, though!)

Professionally, I visited, sang with, and conducted choirs in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, and - on behalf of SFGMC - I welcomed to the gay choral movement in their very first concert a brand new chorus called =LOW REZ=, a men’s chorus based in Melbourne, specializing in pop music and identifying as “metrosexual.”

=LOWREZ=

at debut concert, Melbourne

A musical highlight of the trip was singing on the steps of the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Philharmonia Choir in a Dawn Concert to raise funds for the victims of the tragic bushfires that occurred in Victoria on February 7 and 8. Another highlight was conducting the 80-voice Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Chorus in concert on May 16 in a tribute to the Beatles. My gay brother, Lawrence, founded MGLC in 1990 after hearing an SFGMC recording at a party. It was a great honor to work with this fine group of women and men in Melbourne, and in doing so, bringing queer choral history full-circle. Another highlight was attending rehearsals and a performance of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir's fully-stage production of Henry Purcell's The Fairy Queen as part of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - the first time an LGBT chorus has stage such an event! (To read more about my experiences with LGBT choruses in Australia, stay tuned for the next issue of GALA Choruses' GALAgrams.)

I am extremely grateful to the board of directors, staff, and the members of SFGMC for providing me with this time to refresh and renew. After nine years in San Francisco, it was time for me to step back and gain new perspective as my predecessor, Dr. Stan Hill, had done at the same point in time during his tenure with SFGMC.

My sincere thanks also to conductors Paul Saccone, Carl Pantle, and Dr. Timothy Seelig for doing such a fine job filling in for me during my time away. I am especially grateful to Tim for staying on an extra four weeks and conducting SFGMC in the Pride Concert. My return to San Francisco was unavoidably delayed due to my broken arm, but I am pleased to report that the arm is healing well and I’ll be conducting two-armed again in no time!

CABARET: WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

SFGMC has several exciting events coming in this fall. First off is the annual Cabaret. Titled “What a Wonderful World” (and featuring the song made famous by Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, pictured), the chorus’s finest soloists will touch your heart with song to inspire and uplift your spirit. Joining the soloists will be SFGMC’s ensemble, Vocal Minority, led by Carl Pantle. If you heard Vocal Minority at the Pride Concert, you’ll know you’re in for a real treat!

Carl Pantle, who is fairly new to SFGMC having joined our staff at the end of 2008, is probably best known in the Bay Area for his work at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s opera department. He is a phenomenal pianist and singer (tenor) in his own right, and he is training the individual voices of Vocal Minority in order to strengthen the group. Carl will serve as music director of the Cabaret, which will be held at the magnificent Regency Center in October.

A new feature of the Cabaret this year is that the Saturday matinee performance will be a benefit for Larkin Street Youth Services. We look forward to being able to make a meaningful contribution through this special partnership.

20TH ANNUAL “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS” - WE NEED YOUR HELP

For twenty consecutive years, SFGMC has presented “Home For The Holidays” at the Castro Theatre. To commemorate this achievement, we want to pay tribute to some of the fabulous music that has become synonymous with this iconic event. We are putting together a list of SFGMC’s holiday songs performed over the last 20 years. We invite you, our audience, to tell us which songs are your favorites! The most popular choices will be included in this year’s holiday concert. Stay tuned for information about an online survey where you can respond. We want to hear from you!

HOPE TO SEE YOU AT AN SFGMC EVENT THIS SUMMER...

CD LAUNCH PARTY

THURSDAY, JULY 30, THE EAGLE TAVERN, 10 pm, $5 a the door

Many of you experienced the sold-out concert at Davies on May 21, conducted by Dr. Seelig and with special guests Joan Baez and the Whoa Nellies, which was recorded and is now available on a fabulous new CD! I hope you’ll join me and Dr. Seelig at the CD launch party at the Eagle and enjoy once more the wonderful Whoa Nellies. CLICK HERE for more event details.

CRESCENDO - GALA PARTY

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 7 pm, The Westin San Francisco Market Street

SFGMC’s 4th annual Catered By The Chorus dinners will be held on various dates leading up to the culmination: Crescendo, a fabulous night of cocktails, silent and live auction (including the Wall Of Wine) and entertainment provided by the inimitable jazz songstress Paula West (pictured). To learn more about the dinners and Crescendo, visit: http://www.sfgmc.org