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Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus History
The Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus (PVGMC) has, since 1993, presented a positive image of gay men to the community and provided a warm, accepting environment for gay men to create music. The repertoire of the Chorus highlights music from jazz, Broadway, and folk traditions. Such a selection of music helps to ensure that the broadest possible audiences enjoy attending PVGMC performances. The Chorus accepts new members on a rotating basis. We begin rehearsals each fall, which is therefore the optimal time for new members to join. The only requirement is that members be comfortable singing under the banner of the Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus. In a small community, the opportunities for comfortable surroundings for gay men or trans men are limited. At the moment the audition process is simply to join us for rehearsals and allow the conductor to place you in the appropriate vocal part. Naturally, prior choral experience is an asset, but it is not a requirement for membership. Many of our current members do not read music. PVGMC was born amid a flowering of gay choruses around the country. The seeds for this growth were set in 1981, when the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus conducted a national tour. In that era when GLBTQ folks were still marginalized, SFGMC proved the bridge-building power of music by wowing mixed gay-and-straight audiences across the US. PVGMC has on its own built similar bridges through our own concerts around the region, through shared billing with other community choruses (including the renowned Young At Heart Chorus), and through special engagements for a assortment of churches and other faith and community groups. Over the years, the Chorus has evolved in response to a variety of circumstances and musical directors. Fluctuations in the economy often have an inordinately large impact on arts organizations, and PVGMC was not immune from these pressures. Nonetheless, the Chorus continues to generate more than enough enthusiasm to maintain an artistic and social presence in the Pioneer Valley. Recently PVGMC has grown in both its membership and musical accomplishment. All who are interested in participating are invited to attend a rehearsal to experience the infectious camaraderie and musical spirit. We sing a wide variety of styles, ranging from showtunes, to gospel, to traditional choral pieces, and even a few pieces arranged or composed by our members. |
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