Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus

Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus
Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus
Also known as MGLC
Origin Melbourne, Australia
Genres Broadway, choral, classical, jazz, popular
Occupations Choir
Instruments ca. 100 voices
Years active 1990-present
Associated acts Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Youth Chorus
Website www.mglc.org.au
Members
Assistant Musical Directors
Melchor Pablo, Adrian Schultz
Youth Chorus Musical Director
Adrian Schultz
Youth Chorus Assistant Musical Director
Ben Kiley

Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus (MGLC), the first gay and lesbian choral organisation in the Southern Hemisphere, was founded in Australia in 1990 by gay performer and activist, Lawrence McGuire (1966 - ). The chorus was first named ALSOUNDS, due in part to its affiliation with the ALSO Foundation.[1] In April 1994, the name was changed to Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus, reflecting the chorus's organisational independence and a desire to further challenge stereotypes.

Contents

Background

Gay Choirs in Australia, 1981-1991

The first gay choir in Australia was the Gay Liberation Quire, an all-male, Sydney-based chorus. It began in 1981, and disbanded c. 1987.[2] McGuire, unaware of the Sydney group, learned for the first time of the existence of gay choruses while listening to an LP record, The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Tours America 1981, at a party. Inspired by the discovery, McGuire, along with his roommates (including his sister, Kathleen, and gay friend Tuck Wah Leong),[3] discussed the notion of forming a gay and lesbian choir in Melbourne. McGuire wanted to form a choir specifically with gay men and women in an effort to unify these sometimes divergent groups. AIDS had already caused much devastation in the gay community, and he believed that a choir would help to lift spirits and be a positive expression against homophobia.[4] With a small group of men and women, both gay and straight, the first rehearsal was held on 28 April 1990.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir (SGLC) began less than a year later in January 1991, independent of the Melbourne chorus. Rob Holland founded SGLC in response to the lack of Australian representation in the Cultural Festival of the Vancouver Gay Games, held in August 1990.[5]

Conductors

MGLC’s first Music Director was Trevor Dunn. Dunn, who was a music teacher at Kilbreda College - a Catholic girls' high school in Mentone, directed the group for a number of years before succumbing to AIDS.

Following a series of short-term conductors, Tuck Wah Leong took the helm as Music Director c. 1994 and directed the MGLC's first, award-winning CD and its first international tour.[6]

In 2001, MGLC appointed conductor Adrian Kirk, under whose direction the chorus developed a more sophisticated, classical sound.[7]

Jonathon Welch - of the renowned operatic trio: Tenor Australis, and former conductor of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir - served as MGLC's Music Director from 2005 to 2007.

Darren Wicks was Musical Director for 2008.

In 2009, Adrian Schultz, the director of the Youth Chorus, was appointed Musical Director. Ben Leske was subsequently appointed Musical Director of the Youth Chorus.

Community involvement

Since its inception, the MGLC has provided support and outreach to the GLBTI community. Examples of regular community appearances include: annual Stonewall commemorative service for the Metropolitan Community Church; World AIDS Day ceremonies and services for the People Living With AIDS; Australia Day Picnic for GLBTI radio station, JOY Melbourne 94.9 FM.

Youth Chorus

In August 2005, MGLC founded the Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Youth Chorus, the first chorus of its kind in Australasia. They have performed separately and with the main chorus at numerous events, and are putting together their first CD separate from the main choir.

Achievements

Awards

  • 1st Prize, Community Choir Section, Boroondara Eisteddfod, 1995
  • Best Choir Award, Australian National Festival of the Voice, 1996
  • Best Debut Recording, Gay and Lesbian Music Awards (US), 1998
  • Rainbow Award, Best Live Performance, 2004
  • Rainbow Award, Best Live Performance, 2005
  • Rainbow Award, Best New Community Event for Youth Chorus's debut concert, 2006

Touring

Performance highlights

Affiliations

MGLC is an affiliate member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses) and a member of the Australian National Choral Association.

Discography

  • Kaleidoscope (1996)
  • Inflight (1998)
  • Feelin’ Groovy (2006)
  • Evolution (2006)

References

  1. ^ "About Us - History". ALSO Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070202001236/http://also.org.au/discover/aboutus/history.htm. Retrieved 20 March 2007. 
  2. ^ "Gay Liberation Quire - god help you merry dykes and poofs, with Tuck Wah up your *ss". Queer Music Heritage, produced by JD Doyle. http://www.queermusicheritage.us/dec2001s.html. Retrieved 20 March 2007. ; see also "The Gay Liberation Quire, of Sydney, Australia". Queer Music Heritage. http://www.queermusicheritage.us/dec2002g.html. Retrieved 20 March 2007. 
  3. ^ In later years, Kathleen McGuire, became the Artistic Director and Conductor of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (2000), and Tuck Wah Leong served as MGLC's gay pianist and then Music Director.
  4. ^ According to Lawrence McGuire and Tuck Wah Leong in interviews with the present author.
  5. ^ "What is the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir?". Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir. Archived from the original on 16 January 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070116152450/http://www.sglc.org/what.htm. Retrieved 20 March 2007. 
  6. ^ Artist bio "Biography, Tuck Wah Leong". The University of Melbourne. http://www.dis.unimelb.edu.au/staff/tuck/bio.html. Retrieved 20 March 2007. 
  7. ^ "Biography, Adrian Kirk". Allegro Music Australia. http://www.allegromusic.com.au/index.php?option=com_directory&task=profile&lid=2. Retrieved 20 March 2007. [dead link]

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • GALA Choruses — The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses) ist eine internationale Vereinigung von LGBT Chören. Durch Aufbau des Netzwerks, Workshops, Festivals und administrativer Unterstützung fördert die Vereinigung die kontinuierliche… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • John-Michael Howson — Infobox actor name = John Michael Hollywood Howson caption = birthname = John Michael Howson birthdate = 1936 birthplace = Melbourne deathdate = deathplace = restingplace = restingplacecoordinates = othername = Hollywood Howson occupation =… …   Wikipedia

  • Jonathon Welch — is a choral conductor and singer from Melbourne, Australia.Welch was the 2008 winner of the Australian Local Hero Awardcitation last=National Australian Day Council title=Jonathon Welch 2008 Award accessdate=2008 02 03… …   Wikipedia

  • Young Gays and Lesbians Around Moreland — The Young Gays and Lesbians Around Moreland (YGLAM) performing arts project was founded in November 1998 by Jemma M.and Vicky G., in the City of Moreland. The group is for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex youth aged between 14 25 …   Wikipedia

  • theatre, Western — ▪ art Introduction       history of the Western theatre from its origins in pre Classical antiquity to the present.       For a discussion of drama as a literary form, see dramatic literature and the articles on individual national literatures.… …   Universalium

  • religion — religionless, adj. /ri lij euhn/, n. 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and… …   Universalium

  • Freedom Band of Los Angeles — The mission of the Freedom Band of Los Angeles is to bring together the diverse communities of Southern California (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight) through education, rehearsal and performance of music and other… …   Wikipedia

  • Judy Garland — Infobox actor name = Judy Garland imagesize = 175px caption = from the trailer for A Star Is Born fy|1954 birthname = Frances Ethel Gumm birthdate = birth date|mf=yes|1922|6|10 birthplace = Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA deathdate = Death date and… …   Wikipedia

  • Elton John — Sir Elton John CBE, Hon DMus Elton John attending the premiere of The Union at the 2011 Tri …   Wikipedia

  • Dates of 2004 — ▪ 2005 January It turns out we were all wrong, probably, in my judgment. David Kay, former U.S. chief weapons inspector in Iraq, in testimony to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, January 28 January 1              Haitian Pres. Jean… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”