Post #3176761

Thirty-five years ago I helped found a queer community choir in Toronto called “Singing Out”, and served as its artistic director for seven or eight years, until my career made it impossible to continue (because of constant travel). While I haven’t been involved in 25 years, the choir has kept on, and is now bigger than ever and sounding great. I went to see their Pride concert last night (called “Under Pressure”) and it was top-notch, playing to a packed house. It never occurred to me that something I helped create in my 20s might actually outlive me. The focus of the choir has changed over the years — it was born during the AIDS crisis, when gay men were under attack on all fronts. Now that the Eye of Sauron has turned to trans people, the chorus has a big focus there, including a trans/nonbinary sub-choir that performed two numbers. The concert was a great kickoff to Pride for me, on a few levels. The whole queer choral movement has provided safe spaces to create music together and literally have a voice, and and easy place for queer folk to invite their families into. #SingingOut #Pride