December 19 & 20, 1991
Welcome
Welcome to the first concert of our thirteenth season! Tonight we are especially proud to host the singers, parents, and supporters of the Chicago Children’s Choir in an historic “first” for the City of Chicago-a collaborative effort by two home-town volunteer groups dedicated to the art of making beautiful music.
But this concert represents only one of many “firsts” for Windy City Gay Chorus this year. We are thankful for our first full-time Executive Director, our first concert with a major mainstream artist (Diane Schuur on March 21″), our first joint concert with the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, and, of course, our first professionally-produced recording. Our Board of Directors has successfully undergone our first professional financial audit, established a sustaining fund to ensure the financial future of our organization, and initiated plans for the formation of another premiere musical organization next year. And we’ve only been at this process for some four months!
This holiday season reminds us of our blessings-our talented Artistic Director, our cadre of volunteers (without whom so very much would be left undone), our singers who toil unbelievably hard every week to bring you the joy of our music, our program advertisers and in-kind contributors (Please patronize them, and let them know your appreciation), our donors who selflessly give because they believe we make a difference in the quality of life, and every one of you who rewards us with recognition and appreciation.
To each I say thank you! May God grant you peace, joy, and love, now, and through the new year.
J.T. Vaughn
Chair
Board of Directors
History
Windy City Gay Chorus is a stunning example of the revival of male choral singing in North America. Among the first choruses in the gay & lesbian choral movement, WCGC began rehearsing in October, 1979. The Chorus grew from a dream of the late Jerry Carlson, and founding & current director Richard Garrin. WCGC, now into its second decade of music making, and known internationally for its high standards of choral artistry, is among the nation’s premiere male choruses. WCGC’s precision, flexibility of style, warmth of color, well-balanced tone, firm diction, and meticulous attention to detail add up to what some composers and conductors have termed the finest male chorus in the country. The Chorus has appeared to date at six American Choral Directors Association conventions, won first place in the Great American Choral Festival, and appeared at many civic events at the invitation of three Chicago mayors.
WCGC has received proclamations of praise at both the state and city levels. The Chorus also receives grants based on musical excellence from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, the Chicago Office of Fine Arts CityArts program, and Chorus America. The late mayor Harold Washington said it best when he hailed the group as “a unique asset to the cultural life of the city and a source of pride to its citizens, who are devoted to excellence in the performing arts.” Los Angeles Frontiers said of WCGC’s performance on tour “this group is in a class by itself… It seems a miracle that an amateur group could sound like this!” The New York City Daily News stated that WCGC’s Lincoln Center debut was ”A thorough pleasure in tone and balance … the results were positively heroic!”
WCGC performs three major concerts in Chicago each year, the next with special guest Diane Schuur at the Chicago Theatre on March 21″ of 1992. WCGC also tours to other cities, singing at conventions, contests, and with their brothers and sisters within the gay choral movement.
The Chorus has appeared (to rave reviews) in Champaign-Urbana, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York City, Peoria, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Seattle. WCGC frequently appears in support of local community fundraisers, and regularly performs at mayoral inaugurations and other civic events.
WCGC has also just released its first commercial recording, “Don We Now” Holiday Favorites, as an ambitious continuation of its vision of promoting gay pride through musical excellence.
For more information about Windy City Gay Chorus, its performances, activities, and recordings, or to put your name on the Chorus mail list, write to WCGC 3023 N. Clark, #329 Chicago, IL 60657 or call (312) 404-WCGC. Windy City Gay Chorus is an equal-opportunity organization, and welcomes members and supporters of all races, genders, ages, national origins, religions, and affectional preferences.
Windy City Performing Arts 