Our Mission

Windy City Performing Arts sings to inspire change, celebrate diversity, and honor the dignity of the LGBTQ+ community.

2019-2020 Season
event

Our Season Has Started!

August 18, 2019

40 years ago, when Windy City Gay Chorus stood on the stage at Stages Music Hall to make their first public appearance, founding director Richard Garrin remembered thinking, “What will this be in 10 years, if anything?” The cheers from the 350 plus audience members after the chorus’s first performance brought smiles, tears, and feelings of triumph from the singers. Now, at 40 Years Strong, we invite you to join Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire for our 2019-2020 Season, celebrating 40 years of hope and progress!

See You There!
event

Don We Now

December 14, 2019

Our season-long celebration begins with our annual holiday concert, “Don We Now…” featuring holiday hits from our 40-year history and seasonal classics, plus a performance of “Gloria” by composer John Rutter! The concert will culminate with an invitation to WCPA alumni and directors in attendance to join the choruses on stage for the singing of “Walk Hand in Hand”, a trademark song in the chorus’ vast repertoire of music!

Thanks for Coming!
event

Hindsight is 20/20

February 21, 2020

We’ll kick off the New Year and continue our anniversary celebration with our annual cabaret show featuring the multi-faceted talents of members from both choruses. Join WCPA for a night of music that looks back on the lessons we’ve learned throughout our 40-year journey, how we’ve laughed, cried, and most importantly how we’ve progressed over the years. Come with us as we share some of our most important life experiences…from good to bad, or just downright embarrassing!

Purchase Tickets
event

Enduring

March 28, 2020

Our Spring concert “Enduring”, will feature “Lifting as we Climb”, a special commissioned work serving as a tribute to the women’s suffrage movement of the 19th and early 20th century. Along with a special moment in the program to remember members of both organizations who we’ve lost over the years, “Enduring” is a testament to our continuing strength as an organization and our long-lasting commitment to the LGBTQ+ choral movement. Our WCPA alumni will again be invited to join us for the singing of “Walk Hand in Hand”.

Purchase Tickets
event

Radical Unity

June 20, 2020

For the final concert of our 40th Anniversary season, Windy City’s June Pride concert celebrates the LGBTQ+ community’s bold, collective strength that embraces all of us - and in particular, members of our trans community and the unity that we all celebrate by living our truth and loving our true selves. Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire will present a commissioned work about the trans experience by international composer, conductor, and vocalist, Saunder Choi. Chorus alumni will be invited to join WCTQ and WCGC in the singing of a few memorable songs.

Purchase Tickets
about

About Us

Windy City Performing Arts (WCPA) was incorporated in 1983 as an independent not-for-profit umbrella organization for Windy City Gay Chorus, Aria: Windy City Women’s Ensemble (later renamed to Windy City Treble Quire), Unison: Windy City Lesbian and Gay Singers, and Windy City Slickers. (Unison and Windy City Slickers are currently on hiatus.)

Read More
about

Support

Our choruses create moments that inspire people to change the world. But, as is the case with every not-for-profit (501c3) arts organization, ticket sales, dues, and grants only cover 60% of our operating costs. Our friends help us fill the gap. And your donation is fully tax deductible to the extent allowable by IRS code.

Read More
about

Auditions

We’re thrilled to hear you’re interested in learning more about joining Windy City Gay Chorus (our TTBB chorus) or Windy City Treble Quire (our SSAA chorus). Both choruses are filled with people with a passion for choral music that celebrates diversity, honor creativity, and cultivate pride through musical performance. We welcome anyone who is interested and has a commitment to our mission to audition!

Read More
about

Member Login

For members only. Click here to sign into Chorus Connection.

Read More

Visit Our Sponsors and Supporters

sponsors
sponsors
sponsors
sponsors
sponsors