PORTLAND GAY MENS CHORUS INC
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : p**c@p****c.o*g
Mission Statement
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus aspires to expand, redefine, & perfect the choral art through eclectic performances that honor & uplift our community & affirm the worth of all people.
About This Cause
PGMC, the fourth oldest gay men's chorus in the country, was founded in 1980 by two local musicians seeking to fill a social & artistic void in their community. They stood together in song when it wasn't always safe to be publicly identified as a member of the LGBT community. Today, PGMC is an important contributor to cultural life and is recognized for helping to revive men's choral singing by commissioning new works & performing music of high quality. There are 140 singing members who celebrate our mission by supporting each other and performing music that changes minds by touching hearts. PGMC has commissioned more than 85 new choral works and has donated concert revenues to countless AIDS support agencies, including seed money for Cascade AIDS Project and the PAL project. For its ground-breaking use of the choral arts to combat social discrimination, PGMC has received several awards. PGMC participates in community concerts and outreach events across its home state, Oregon. Chorus members fund their own travel-related costs. One city's PFLAG president reports, "Each time PGMC brings their songs to our rural community, hearts & minds become more accepting of our LGBT neighbors. They are a cultural treasure in Oregon." Influencing attitudes locally to create change globally. PGMC is governed by a 12-member board of community volunteers. Members of the Chorus volunteer many hours rehearsing for concerts; designing and creating scenery, lighting, choreography, costumes; providing the logistical details of a performing arts group; managing a membership group of 140 diverse individuals. Ages for Chorus members are from 18 to 83 and membership reflects the ethnic diversity of our local community. As PGMC celebrates its 40th anniversary season, it welcomes its new Artistic Director, after the long and storied tenure of its previous director of 26 years. The artistic director is evaluated by the Chorus members every two years. PGMC attracts people new to town for connection to the community. They stay and are encouraged to grow because there are training experiences to help those interested in growing their singing skills, their composing expertise, and/or their lyric writing expertise. Solo competitions provide a forum for professional growth. The Chorus provides a place to express joy and sorrow through songs among friends. Many members have been singing with the organization for more than 20 years. Where once AIDS decimated our choral community, the Chorus is developing strategies to continue engaging members who have had strokes and those who have Alzheimer's disease. Among the many firsts, PGMC became the first western LGBTQ chorus to tour the Peoples Republic of China when it took 84 singers and community members on a 10 day 4 city concert tour to Beijing, Xi'an, Suzhou, and Shanghai.