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Educational Outreach and the GLBT Chorus created by: |
The first part of the 21st Century may, for lack of a better analogy, be labeled as the "post-Will and Grace" era for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community. And, although there have been some tremendous strides toward general acceptance of issues relating to the GLBT Community because of the Emmy Award-winning show, our community must not be lulled into a comfortable sociological spot because of it. And, although many battles have been won in educating the populace on issues of GLBT tolerance, the war is not over. I use the term war not in a sense of anger or violence, but in a collective term of one people's ideology and sense of self-being being oppressed by a majority of one type or another.
My name is Dr. Casey J. Hayes. In addition to my student responsibilities, I am a former Musical Director of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and currently the Artistic Director of The Gay Men's Chorus of Manhattan (see below) , a musical ensemble dedicated to the mission of Educational Outreach within all aspects of society. I also chair the Creative Arts Department of The Hewitt School, a private girls school on Manhattan's Upper East Side. To visit my personal webpage, please click on my picture above!
I have created this website as a kind of "gathering point" of information dealing with GLBT Choruses in this country which are actively engaging in educational outreach programs in their communities, out-lying areas, and the world in general. I have dedicated my educational career as well as my life to the study and dissemination of materials that aid in the furthering of education outreach by GLBT Choruses throughout our country.
Audition Announcement
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Manhattan, a GLBT-Affirming for Gay Men and their Allies, will be holding auditions for membership. The GMCM is looking for singers to fill its roster whose voice classification may be identified as Countertenor, Tenor, Baritone and Bass.
We believe that the struggle for GLBT rights is at a critical point in our history. Society at large is capable of completely opening the doors of equal rights for all Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual and Transgender peoples, or forever keeping us classified as second-class citizens, not deserving of the rights and privileges guaranteed all Americans by the Constitution.
We seek to transform our society through song. However, we realize that our message is heard with greater impact through music performed at an extremely high level of musicianship.
Our mission is as follows:
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Manhattan is an artistic, political and social organization dedicated to the redefinition of the men's choral movement through incomparable artistic achievement. A GLBT-affirming ensemble, we strive, through the performance of both established and emerging choral works, to explore and challenge the barriers and prejudices faced by gay men in all facets of society. With the unique opportunity to perform in the cultural epicenter of the world, we make it our mission to provide our audiences with an exciting, unique, beautiful, and ultimately moving sound, providing an unforgettable concert experience to the five boroughs of New York City, and beyond.
If this mission defines what you are looking for in a male choral ensemble, then we invite you to audition. Please click on the logo below for more information.
We look forward to the development and growth of what is sure to be New York’s premier GLBT vocal ensemble, as well as your participation within our mission.
As an academic, I utilize my work with the Ambassadors to spread the word about the need for increased Educational Outreach within the GLBT choral movement. I have written extensively about the Ambassador's work in the Tri-State area, including my latest published article for the International Journal of Community Music. To access that article, click on the IJCM logo below.
Currently, I am researching historical music of the GLBT community world-wide for a talk I am giving this summer. The work of Gunther Grau has struck me as some of the most powerful and thought-provoking research ever done on the issues relating to homosexuals and the Nazi Holocaust. Additionally, during my research, I came across a work by 1920's Berlin-based composer Mischa Spoliansky entitled DAS LILA LIED (The Lavender Song), an amazing example of Weimar-era GLBT ideology prior to the Nazi government's rise to power. To read my research sketches, along with educational links concerning the issues of those wearing the "Rosa Winkel" click on the "Nazi Badge Poster" icon below.
The summer of 2005 saw a tremendous educational experience happening in Europe, when the Boston Gay Men's Chorus took a tour that brought them into an extremely homophobic Poland. Click on the BGMC's picture below to read the press release from their performances abroad.
One of the joys of studying the educational outreach of GLBT choruses is when you come across a project that is truly unprescedented in scope, and is set as a standard of educational outreach. I found such a project in the colaboration between the One Voice Mixed Chorus of St. Paul, Minnesota and the Community of Peace Academy Charter School, also of St. Paul. This partnership yielded a tremendous educational experience, culminating in the joint commission of a musical work which was performed at a joint concert during the OVMC's Building Bridges concert series. This concert saw the first joint performance between a non-GLBT school and a GALA Chorus. Personally, I was shocked at the lack of attention given this ground-breaking event. It has also motivated me to plan a joint concert between the school I work at, The Hewitt School in Manhattan, and the NYCGMC's Ambassadors.
Click on the picture below to read about Elizabeth Alexander's commissioned work "Life Is Not A Garden", written for the OVMC and the Community of Peace Academy Chorus.
One Voice Mixed Chorus and Community of Peace Academy Choir members at rehearsal
Click here to read a press release on the joint OVMC/Peace Academy Concert (Adobe Acrobat required)
Want more information on One Voice Mixed Chorus?
Want more information on the Community of Peace Academy Charter School?
Congratulations to the staff of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus for their work in founding a new youth chorus! GLAM (Gay, Lesbian and Allied Musicians) is up and running with a great mission and documentation. The chorus was recently written up in a Bay Area publication. To read about GLAM and the work of SFGMC's Artistic Director, Dr. Kathleen McGuire, click on the logo below!
During the Summer of 2005, Voices, the publication of Chorus America, printed an extremely nice article concerning the nature and very brief history of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Choruses. To read that article, click on the Chorus America Logo below!
I am very anxious to hear about any and all Educational Outreach projects that are going on around the world. If you are involved in such a project, or know of someone who is, please drop me an email and send me information about the project. I would love to be able to link up as many project coordinators as possible!
Would you like to email me?
