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| Lesbian/Gay Chorus of Los Angeles | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lesbian/Gay Chorus of Los Angeles |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California |
| Genre | Choral, LGBT choir, classical, contemporary |
| Years active | 1979–present |
Lesbian/Gay Chorus of Los Angeles is a community-based choral ensemble founded in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, focused on performing a diverse repertoire while advocating for LGBTQ+ visibility and civil rights. The ensemble has collaborated with major cultural institutions and civic organizations, and has been a platform for premieres, commissions, and community programs involving composers, conductors, and activists. Its history intersects with broader movements, institutions, and cultural figures in Los Angeles and beyond.
Founded during the late 1970s, the group emerged in the context of activism associated with figures and organizations such as Harvey Milk, Stonewall riots, Gay Liberation Front, National Gay Task Force, and local movements in Los Angeles County, West Hollywood, and Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Early performances connected the ensemble to venues and events like Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and collaborations with artists from Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and American Conservatory Theater. The chorus navigated challenges posed by the AIDS epidemic and worked alongside health and advocacy organizations such as AIDS Project Los Angeles, Los Angeles LGBT Center, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and Lambda Legal. Over decades, the group engaged with public institutions including the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, City of Los Angeles, and cultural festivals like LA Pride, Hollywood Fringe Festival, and Cultural Olympiad-adjacent events.
Organizationally, the ensemble has been structured as a nonprofit with governance linked to board members and executive directors drawn from networks including California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Americans for the Arts, and philanthropic institutions such as Gannett Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and The California Endowment. Musical leadership has featured conductors and artistic directors with connections to conservatories and universities such as USC Thornton School of Music, University of California, Los Angeles, California Institute of the Arts, Eastman School of Music, and collaborators from ensembles like Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Crossing, and Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. Administrative partnerships have involved law firms, arts managers, and consultants associated with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall, Disney Concerts, and media outlets including Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, and KCET.
Repertoire spans classical choral works, contemporary commissions, Broadway and popular arrangements, and works by LGBTQ+ composers. The chorus has performed pieces by composers and arrangers linked to institutions such as Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, Eric Whitacre, Jake Heggie, Toshi Reagon, John Corigliano, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland, Gustav Holst, and Samuel Barber. Contemporary commissions and premieres have involved composers affiliated with New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, and festivals such as Tanglewood Music Festival, Ojai Music Festival, and Spoleto Festival USA. The ensemble’s programming often includes works associated with civil rights and pride events tied to Martin Luther King Jr., Stonewall riots, and cultural commemorations like Pride Month ceremonies.
The chorus has appeared at notable venues, festivals, and civic events including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles City Hall, West Hollywood Park, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and international festivals in cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, and Toronto. Collaborative performances have involved partnerships with organizations such as Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, San Francisco Symphony, and touring projects coordinated with institutions like Arts Council England and agencies such as US State Department cultural exchanges.
Community work has included educational outreach, anti-bullying programs, and health awareness campaigns in partnership with institutions like Los Angeles Unified School District, UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and community centers such as Los Angeles LGBT Center and The Center on Colfax. Advocacy collaborations have engaged legal and policy groups including Lambda Legal, ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and local government bodies like California State Legislature and Los Angeles City Council on issues ranging from marriage equality to nondiscrimination ordinances. The chorus has also supported fundraising and benefit concerts for causes championed by organizations such as Amnesty International, Planned Parenthood, and United Way.
Recordings, broadcasts, and media appearances have included releases on classical and independent labels, radio features on KCRW, KUSC, BBC Radio 3, and coverage by outlets like NPR, PBS, and BBC. Collaborations for recordings and video projects have involved producers and ensembles connected to Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, Nonesuch Records, and independent producers associated with Pitchfork-adjacent artists. Archival materials and oral histories have been collected by institutions such as UCLA Library Special Collections, ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, Library of Congress, and regional historical societies.
The chorus and its members have received honors and acknowledgments from cultural and civic institutions including awards and citations from Los Angeles County, City of Los Angeles, state proclamations from Office of the Governor of California, and arts awards tied to LA Weekly Theatre Awards, Ovation Awards, GALA Choruses acknowledgments, and recognitions from National Endowment for the Arts and California Arts Council. Individual members and artistic leaders have also been associated with accolades such as Tony Award-adjacent honors, Grammy Awards nominations and wins, and fellowships from organizations like MacArthur Foundation and Guggenheim Fellowship.
Category:Choirs in Los Angeles Category:LGBT organizations in the United States