March 21, 1992
History
Windy City Gay Chorus is a stunning example of the revival of male choral singing in North America. One of 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, is known internationally for the highest standards of choral artistry. 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 mayoral administrations.
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 City Arts 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 Seattle performance later that week: “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!”, while the Windy City Times raved about the Chorus’ local performances “a jewel in Chicago’s cultural crown” and “superlatives are superfluous!”
WCGC produces three major concerts each year: a festive “Don We Now” holiday concert in December (last year a ground-breaking joint concert with the award-winning Chicago Children’s Choir), a lighter “pops” concert in March, and a Gay & Lesbian Pride Concert, this year a joint production with the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus at Medinah Temple on June 20th. WCGC also tours to other cities, singing at conventions, competing in contests, and performing with their brothers and sisters within the gay choral movement. The Chorus has appeared (to rave reviews) in Champaign/Urbana, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Naperville, New York City, Peoria, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Seattle. WCGC frequently appears in support of local community celebrations and fund-raisers, and regularly performs at mayoral inaugurations and other civic events.
Last year WCGC released its first recording, “Don We Now… ” Holiday Favorites, as a continuation of its mission of promoting gay pride through musical excellence. The CD & cassette met with enthusiastic praise from across the country. 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 Performing Arts, Inc., (WCGC’s parent organization) is an equal-opportunity organization, and welcomes members and supporters of all races, ages, national origins, religions, and affectional preferences.
Windy City Performing Arts 