December 4, 1982
History
The Windy City Gay Chorus grew out of a dream of Jerry Carlson (now director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles) and Richard Garrin, the founding director. On October 9, 1979, they and sixty others met to form the WCGC. Three years later, the group numbers eighty active members. Membership is by audition only, and once a year each member must reaudition. Although some members have extensive musical backgrounds, most are not professional musicians. Members are expected, however, to continually improve their musical skills.
Although schedule conflicts prevent participation in Chicago Lyric Opera productions, some members do perform with other opera and theater companies, the Grant Park and the Chicago Symphony Choruses, and the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Community band. The Chorus appears in holiday and Gay/Lesbian Pride Week concerts. In addition, the entire Chorus and the Windy City Slickers, seventeen members who perform choreographed, lighter pieces, sing at many functions in and around Chicago. They perform a wide range of styles of music, from classical to popular. New arrangements of folk and popular songs and hymns have been created for the Chorus by the director and other members. In 1981, the WCGC performed in Wisconsin and Indiana. In May of that year, the Chorus hosted the first national conference for directors and managers of gay and lesbian choruses. Representatives from Toronto, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston. Dallas, Phoenix, Portland, and New York were present.
In February 1982, the chorus made their New York debut at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, in joint concert with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus. They thrilled the sold-out house of 2,700 people. The WCGC has also sung at the University of Chicago’s Mandel Hall. This appearance was a part of the prestigious Festival of the Arts. On April 25. 1985, the WCGC will host here in the Windy City, a joint concert with the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) Men’s Chorus. The WCGC will also perform again during Chicago’s Annual Gay Pride Week. Recognition from the musical community of Chicago builds with each appearance. In only three years, the WCGC has become a respected and beloved part of Chicago’s gay and lesbian community, prompting one reviewer to write, “if you are evaluating collective effort to create a positive gay image in Chicago, the Windy City Gay Chorus will appear at the top of the list.”
Windy City Performing Arts 