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S.F. Gay Men’s Chorus to Perform in Redding, Chico
Note from Doni: Below is a recent conversation between myself and Dr. Kathleen McGuire, Artistic Director & Conductor of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, about the group’s upcoming Saturday concert at the Cascade Theatre. This is the first leg of the SFGMC’s 2010 California Freedom Tour, a partnership with the Shasta County Arts Council and the Stonewall Alliance Center.
Q: I know you’re very busy, so I’m grateful you took the time to answer a few questions for anewscafe.com. The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will perform its Redding concert on Jan. 30, followed by a concert in Chico the following day. We’ve heard that one of your singers is from Redding. Is this typical, that the places to which you travel might be one of the singer’s home town?
Our members come from all over the country (and also other countries), and yes, some are from the towns we’re visiting. It’s exciting for them for us to visit their home towns. Some singers are bringing their family members to the concert, who’ve never before seen the chorus perform.
Q: What can the Redding audience expect?
We’re bringing about 100 singers. The concert is in two acts with intermission. The program is a mixture of many styles, including Broadway, gospel, pop, Barbershop, with some campy bits and some more serious music, too - something for everyone. It will be a lot of fun, and sometimes a little educational, too. The program is suitable for the whole family. A surprise on the Redding and Chico tour is our specials guests, Doin’ It Justice - a mixed, community chorus from Chico. One of the founding members was a former member of SFGMC.
Q: When you look at the individuals who make up the SFGMC, how would you describe the range?
The members of SFGMC range from early twenties to seventies, from all walks of life, and with many diverse interests, backgrounds and professions. The membership is as diverse as the gay community.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, starting with how long you’ve conducted SFGMC?
I’m an Australian-born lesbian. This is my tenth season with SFGMC. Before San Francisco, I lived in Colorado for four years (where I completed my doctorate in music). Before that I did my masters degree in England. I’ve been conducting for almost 30 years. I have a gay brother and a lesbian aunt. My brother founded Australia’s first gay and lesbian chorus in 1990.
Q: How many concerts does SFGMC do each year?
SFGMC has five major programs each year as part of a subscription series, plus at least 30 community outreach appearances including annual touring to Modesto, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz.
Q: Forgive me if this is a tacky question that you’re sick of answering, but do people ever express surprise that a woman is SFGMC’s conductor?
The shock factor of seeing a woman conducting a group of men has worn off these days, since I’ve been there since 2000. The focus is on the men, which is what’s important. I bring another layer of diversity to the organization, but really it’s all about the music and not my gender.
Q: Is SFGMC ever accused of discrimination, since it’s a choral group made up solely of gay men?
Men who do not identify as gay are welcome to join the chorus, provided they are at least 18 years of age and support the mission statement: The mission of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus is to inspire its audience, members and the world through high-quality choral experiences. Women are welcome to be part of the organization and serve in various capacities (e.g. conductor, administrative staff, board of directors, committees).
Q: How do you and your chorus members feel about performing in areas - like Shasta County - that are predominantly conservative?
We’re very excited to be performing in conservative areas. That is how we can change hearts and minds and support those who need us. When Prop 8 passed in California, we knew there was still much for us to do outside San Francisco but in our own state.
Q: How has SFGMC been received in other communities?
When we first performed in Modesto in 2001, our posters were torn down all over town. Now, our annual concert there raises $30,000 each December for the local AIDS charity. We’ve been welcomed by open arms and help a lot of people in the process. Since 2000, we’ve help to raised over $400,000 for charities in the towns we visit. We hope to help our partners in Redding and Chico, too.
Q: I look forward to meeting you and hearing the SFGMC’s Redding concert at the beautiful Cascade Theatre. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
The passage of Prop 8 showed that there is still a great deal of work to be done in our own backyard when it comes to acceptance of the LGBT community. The Chorus changes hearts and minds in places where our voices need to be heard. We believe that to accept us, you must know us. It is by telling our stories, and through our culture, that this happens.
In 2010, SFGMC will embark on a tour of five California cities: Redding, Chico, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Tracy. The tour is in three trips with the first leg in Chico and Redding later this month; the second will take us to Fresno and Bakersfield in May. The final leg will be Tracy in July. Approximately 100 chorus members will travel by bus to each destination. The CA Freedom Tour has been funded by private donors. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit PFLAG and local partners at each location. In Redding, the local partner is Shasta Arts Council; in Chico, the local partner is Stonewall Alliance.
Concert information:
Redding - Cascade Theatre
Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Benefiting PFLAG and the Shasta County Arts Council
Tickets: CascadeTheatre.com or call 530.243.8877
Chico - Harlen Adams Theatre, California State University, Chico
Jan. 31, 2 p.m.
Benefiting PFLAG and Stonewall Alliance Center
Tickets: ChicoPerformances.com or call 530.898.6333
For more information about the SFGMC click here.
(Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.)
Independent online journalist Doni Greenberg founded what’s now known as anewscafe.com in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke of the Czech Republic. Prior to 2007 Greenberg was an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She lives in Northern California in the tiny town of Igo.
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Welcome to Redding, SFGMC and many thanks for supporting the arts in the North State! What an amazing opportunity to see a world-class performance, and show you what North State arts and music lovers are all about. We’re really looking forward to the show.
Troy & Adam
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Welcome to Redding, please be careful. I hope all goes without negative event.
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We are looking forward to hearing this amazing choral group!
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Welcome to Redding. Your audience is in store for a marvelous treat! Thank you for coming, and enjoy our beautiful theater!
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Missing from this article was the snotty superior attitude shown in the SF Chron article about how they canceled their European Tour to come preach to the backwards peoples of conservative counties. They were forgoing their dessert to eat their veggies. They don’t want to come here. They want to be in Europe, but they feel it is their obligation to come preach to Redding and Chico.
By the way, 30 years ago I met the ex-husband of a good friend who was an early member of the Chorus (unless it was Chanticleer, a similar group) who was the first person I knew to die of AIDS.
I don’t like the Baptists rolling into to town to pray over my soul. I don’t like any particular group coming to preach and seek converts.
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Laurie Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Comparing evangelical Christians to a gay chorus is juggling apples and oranges. As far as I can tell from this article AND the Chron story, these folks are not exactly in the business of “seeking converts.” And, as noted, their membership is open to gays and straights alike.
Rudimentary knowledge of human sexuality reveals the absurdity of your fear (most often found in males, interestingly) of being “converted” to homosexuality.
Again, a basic understanding of human sexuality would set your mind at ease: Unless you have an innate tendency toward same-sex attraction that you’re burying under fear and hostility, your heterosexuality will be safe from what you rather oddly perceive as homosexuality’s all-powerful allure.
And as for preaching, I suspect that too will be significantly absent from their performance, which is a CONCERT, and thus hews closely to their mission statement: to inspire its audience, members and the world through high-quality choral experiences.
Sadly, this homophobic alarmism proves how much our community needs the presence of gay folks, if just to remind us we’re all just human beings, with more in common than not.
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gamerjohn Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Wow Laurie, who logged on for you? You are wrong and ignorant on so many levels that it would take to long to point them all out. I call it recruiting because of their attempts to show normalcy by currying favor. Actually human sexuality is a fairly elastic experience. If you knew the number of teen aged boys who had been molested by closeted gay scout leaders, coaches, teachers, and church leaders, as I studied in clinic as I was getting my first psychology degree, then you might have a hint of wisdom. Were the victims gay because they enjoyed the attention or because they enjoyed the conduct? Even if they never repeated it?
If you personally had been repeatedly offered the chance to engage in homosexual conduct, then you would no longer doubt recruitment. I do believe that all people must look into themselves and discover what they believe and what they are attracted to, but that does not stop people from changing their mind later.
Every actor and actress in Hollywood who suddenly decides to be gay makes the news. When the occaisonal Anne Heche jumps back, who cares? When a former lover of a tennis champion regrets her lesbian life style and becomes a Christian, why isn’t that on the cover of People magazine?
Personally I don’t care about any of it and want to be left alone.
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Barbara Rice Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
I personally have been repeatedly been offered the chance to engage in heterosexual conduct and was somehow able to resist the vast majority of offers, yet I don’t think badly of those men who chose to be straight. I think they were trying to recruit me. Silly boys! Don’t they know I’m already on their side?
Every time a man decides to be straight, an angel gets its wings.
And yet… I went to lunch today with a known homosexual….. I think he must have spit in my drink when I wasn’t looking…. I’m feeling….nooooooo! HE PUT THE GAY ON ME! Suddenly I’m filled with the desire to listen to Melissa Etheridge and read Sappho…. I’m throwing out my high heels and buying Birkenstocks!
Don’t worry, darlin’ - it’s just the fantasy of every straight man that all gay men think they’re totally hot and want to recruit them. In truth, the gay union offers a free toaster oven for every recruit. After ten (you have to have your card punched), you’re in a drawing for a flat screen TV.
Matt Grigsby Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Don’t worry gamerjohn, I double checked the recruitment list and you aren’t on it for this fiscal year. Our current membership drive is focused on hockey players, pinecone salesmen (and women), one armed fry cooks and people who write the word “your” when they really mean “you’re.” Look for our posters in hardware stores, tire shops, and bowling alleys near you.
You should be safe unless you wear mixed plaids, and then you’re just asking for it.
I am looking forward to a quality evening of entertainment. The sounds should be glorious and I welcome the SFGMC as one more great show worth attending.
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I am seriously looking forward to seeing them perform, i got my tickets.
this area need’s to see more diversity than has been seen in the least,,,i dunno,,,,100 years? lol
too bad folk’s like gamerjohn dont appreciate the message of tolarnce and understanding. i do believe i saw the same exact comment posted on redding dot com. my only question is this.
is homophobia a good agenda to be spreading around the community?
well is it?
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gamerjohn Reply:
January 28th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
If somebody choses a behavior which was illegal a few years ago and is forbidden by what you believe to be the Word of God, why do you have to be politically correct and applaud the efforts of those who critize your vote and the vote of 70% of the public.
Why isn’t the Gay Chorus going to the black churches whose congregations voted 90% in favor of Prop 8? Are they prejudiced against blacks?
Just because I believe God does not approve of homosexuality, does not mean I am homophobic. I would wage that I have known more gays than you. I attended to my brother-in-law who was gay and dying of AIDS, changing his diapers and rotating his skinny body on his sheep skin rug to prevent bed sores, even though he abandoned my sister to be gay. I cried at his funeral and later at his long time partner’s. I no longer know any gay guys my age because they are all dead.
Uncle Duke, aside from being a nice cartoon character, don’t pretend to know me or where I come from. I find the contrasting reports given by the gay Chorus to be hypocritical. In SF they would prefer to be in Europe (me too), but in Redding they are happy to come and show how happy they are to be here.
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Well, I’m just looking forward to some good music!
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Gamer John seems way too upset about this. We’re planning to go an enjoy some wonderful music in our beautiful theater. I think it’s a treat that this kind of entertainment is coming to Redding (of all places). See you at the concert.
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Gee, for a minute there I thought I was on the RS’s site.
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Bea Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Exactly! That’s why I don’t waste a minute on the Record’s site!
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I hope I live long enough to see that sexual orientation doesn’t matter. We all feel pain, love and sorrow. God made us all and he doesn’t make mistakes. We are perfect just the way we are (well I could use some imporovements but that’s another story.) Some prefer veggies, some are meat eaters. Some like women some like men. It is not our business. Everyone deserves equal rights, that is what makes the United States of America great. The freedom to love and be loved. Tolerance is a virtue, Intolerance a short coming. We can all become better people by not being so closed minded.
Gay isn’t a disease, you can’t catch it, it doesn’t rub off. What are people afraid of? .
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