Pride Men’s Chorus London: Pursuing Inclusivity Through Music By Rick Young Pride Men’s Chorus London formed in 2016 and then made an unexpected debut at the Vigil for The Orlando Massacre in June after only a few weeks of rehearsal. “Pride Men’s Chorus London is part of a global movement of LGBTQ2 Choirs in the world that began in 1978 when San Francisco’s Gay Men’s Chorus made an unexpected debut after the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone,” says Clark Bryan, the organization’s co-founder, and artistic director. As stated on its website, the Chorus “envisions a world where the human voice is lifted up through song in celebration of diversity; where music is valued as a powerful gift and seen as a universal tool to achieve and sustain inclusivity; and where united voices are an instrument of change. In the global arena of eroding human rights and particularly the rights of the LGBTQ2 community, we sing to enlighten and help those with closed minds and hearts to open up and celebrate diversity and love.” Membership in the Chorus is open to all men regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. “Our members come from all kinds of cultural backgrounds and walks of life,” says Clark. He adds that the Chorus includes a number of people who are transitioning.
numerous Sold Out concerts, participated in Pride London festivities, and in 2018, it was the recipient of the Forest City London Music Award Best Classical Vocal (Choir/Group). In past summers, the Pride Celebration Chorus, an all-gender choir, comprised of singers singing in four parts – Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass – has performed at Pride London Festivals. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it's been a couple of challenging years for the voluntary community organization, says Clark. After pivoting between in-person and virtual rehearsals, the Chorus resumed in-person rehearsals in February. “We’ve approached the situation cautiously with a steady eye on the pandemic caseload,” says Clark. “We provided a hybrid model for those members who aren’t comfortable within-person rehearsals so they can continue to engage online.” The Chorus is currently preparing for its first post-pandemic concert entitled Brave: A Celebration of LGBTQ2+ History. A multimedia presentation that will be offered both to in-person audiences and through live streaming, Brave chronicles the global and local history of the LGBTQ2 communities in a celebration of diversity and love, sharing fierce anthems and
While there are no auditions to become a member, people must complete a Membership Agreement Form, pay a small fee, and undergo a Voice Determination for placement in the choir. By any measurement, Pride Men’s Chorus London has been a resounding success story. Comprised of between forty to fifty members at any given time, the Chorus has performed
D I SCOVER ou r GRASSROUTES
PRIDE Villager
Issue 8 • Spring 2022 Page 8
To advertise here, please contact Barb@VillagerPublications.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs