RAINBOW WOMENS CHORUS
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Mission Statement
Mission Statement: Rainbow Women's Chorus works together to develop musical excellence in an atmosphere of mutual support and respect. We perform publicly for the entertainment, education, and cultural enrichment of our audiences and community. We sing to enhance the esteem of all women, to celebrate diversity, to promote peace and freedom, and to touch people's hearts and lives.
About This Cause
Rainbow Women's Chorus (RWC), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization since 2001, was founded in October 1996 as a project of Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus (SVGMC). San Jose didn't have a women's chorus and SVGMC started the ball rolling. RWC's first performance was as guests of SVGMC. RWC is open to all women but is predominantyl lesbian in makeup with about 25 - 30% of our singers being non-lesbian. Our first director was Lynne McLaughlin, former artistic director of SVGMC. The following January, Ruth Huber, artistic director of Tapestry Singers in Austin, joined RWC as co-director. In 2000, Betsy Wagner joined the Chorus as co-director when Lynn McLaughlin moved to Arizona. We rehearse Monday evenings at Morrill Middle School in Betsy Wagner's classroom. In 2000, RWC and SVGMC were the proud co-hosts of GALA Festival 2000, GALA Choruses' quadrennial festival event, bringing gay and lesbian choruses and their supporters -- over 5000 participants from around the world -- to San Jose for eight exciting days of singing, workshops, entertainment and mutual support. Because of our unbelievable experience with GALA Festival 2000, we have participated in every GALA Festival since, in Montreal in 2004, Miami in 2008, and recently GALA Festival 2012 in Denver. In 2003, RWC formed a small ensemble, Vocal InFusion (VIF). VIF is an 8-member a capella auditioned group that gives an opportunity for select chorus members to raise their performance up a notch, singing more challenging music. In 2004, RWC recorded our first CD, Rainbow Women, Comin' Home. This is an "in concert" recording of some of our favorite songs. It also showcases the Festival 2000 recording of Ruth Huber's landmark commissioned piece, Rainbow Bridge, sung with SVGMC. In 2010 RWC traveled to the Sister Singers Music Festival in Chicago for more exciting music, informative workshops -- and FIREWORKS! Throughout the years, we have performed many concerts with various themes, always with a focus on musical excellence, entertainment, and education. Songs with a message of strength and equality and fighting injustice are joined by those with humor, fun, and celebration. RWC has also put an emphasis on outreach, singing all over the Bay Area, at venues such as San Jose City Hall, Santa Clara County offices, World Aids Day, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose Opera (Lobby holiday performance) Genentech and Oracle Corporations' diversity celebrations, San Jose Women's Club as well as in churches, at festivals, in celebrations, weddings and funerals.