Sponsors, Patrons, and Loved Ones,
On behalf of the Albany Gay Men’s Chorus, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our new website and blog. We have a lot of fun creating these shows for you. There were lots of laughs and maybe a tear or two, and that's why we decided to document them by having a website and a blog. This month marks AGMC’s 10th year in existence, and the journey to become self-incorporated.
This website is not just a nod to 10 years of growth from AGMC but also, to why AGMC and other LGBTQ choruses were founded. I received a question from one of our followers, “Why does it have to be a gay men’s chorus?” That’s a good question if you aren’t in-the-know. We can thank our friends in San Francisco. In 1978, Jon Reed Sims pioneered the world’s first openly gay men’s chorus, leading the way for other big cities to follow. Then in the early 1980’s, a network of 14 LGBTQ choruses from around the world created GALA Choruses, making them stronger in numbers. These choruses may have been from different cities but they were united by more than just the gift of song. They were all openly gay (before the era of ‘Will & Grace’) and they risked their way of life for peace, love, compassion, freedom, justice, and for a voice to be heard during the beginning of the AIDS crisis. These brave pioneers wanted to educate and change the world through the gift of song. We have made progress, but sadly, we are still trying to improve the world’s perception of us. As long as LGBTQ teens are still being kicked out of their homes, bullied, and tortured to the point that many have taken their own lives, we will not stop singing. As long as our trans brothers and sisters are treated like second-class citizens, we will not stop singing. As long as our basic human rights remain in jeopardy, we will not stop singing.
I would like to quote Robin Godfrey, Executive Director of GALA Chorus, “If you want to sing, join a chorus. If you want to change the world, join a gay chorus.”
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy our website, blog and future shows.
Robb Ganns,
President