Join us for "Our Community, Our Strength"
A FREE Community Concert

Join the Rocky Mountain Arts Association and all four of the association's member choruses: the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, the Denver Women's Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus for a FREE community concert on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 at 3 PM at Park Hill United Methodist Church.

"Our Community, Our Strength" will feature over 300 singers in a moving tribute to local and national PFLAG and civil rights leader Elinor Kirby Lewallen. As part of the event, the association will present Elinor with the "Robert Moore Community Award."

Elinor has been a passionate advocate for social justice for over 70 years. She started her civil rights work in the early 1940s assisting with integration efforts in the Methodist Youth Fellowship. A member of Park Hill United Methodist Church since 1953, she led the first ever official church discussions on race relations - and continued her advocacy work over the next six decades. She first joined PFLAG in 1980, serving as Board Member of Denver PFLAG, Regional Director of PFLAG and then President of the National Board of PFLAG in 1987-88. In 2008, she received the Lifetime Peacemaker Award from the Rocky Mountain Conference of the UMC for her ongoing leadership.

During the concert, the association will recognize Elinor's heroic life journey with a mix of story and song, and a special donation will be collected to establish the "Elinor Kirby Lewallen" GALA Scholarship Fund. A reception will follow hosted by the members of Park Hill United Methodist Church.

Park Hill United Methodist Church is located at 5209 Montview Boulevard in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. There is no admission charge for this concert, and all members of the public are invited to attend.

About Us

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus exists to build community through music.

The members of the Chorus have joined together for the purpose of making an artistic statement: the Chorus, as it sings, provides educational, cultural and social enrichment for our audiences and ourselves, and we identify as an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people and supporters that is actively making a positive contribution to the entire community.

Our Voices

On October 5, 2007, GALA Choruses, Inc. held its annual Leadership Conference in Denver. All eight of Colorado's GALA-associated choruses performed in The Everything Possible Concert, including RMAA's four choruses. This concert was notable for many reasons, especially as the world-premier of our Mosaic Youth Chorus. Below are links to the three songs we performed that evening. The first track is the introduction of the chorus to the audience by a person very special to RMAA.

Track 1 - Introduction of DGMC by Bob "Melba" Moore, Founding Artistic Director
Track 2 - Shine (Text by Walt Whitman, Music by Timothy Snyder)
Track 3 - Workin' for the Dawn of Peace (Civil War Songs, Arranged by Ron Jeffers)
Track 4 - From This House (Text by Ben and Julianne Allaway, Music by Ben Allaway)

Now Playing:

Join Us

If you would like to audition to be a singing member of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, please email us with your name and an evening contact phone number. You may also call us at 303-325-3959. Rehearsals are held on Sunday evenings, 6:30 to 9:30, at Christ Church.

The next opportunity for new singers to audition will be August 2011. In the meantime, we do maintain a list between auditions of anyone who is interested in being contacted before the next audition opportunity. If you'd like to be added to this list, we'll be happy to do so if you'll email or call us with your contact details.

History

Founded in 1982 with 75 members, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus was the first openly gay arts organization in Denver and the first to use the word "gay" in its name. Rocky Mountain Arts Association was chosen as our corporate name and was used when signing contracts, accepting donations or in any other situation where the chorus name may not have been "appropriate."

A long-standing, openly gay organization, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus was created to serve as a brotherhood for local homosexual men. The group has been a beacon of strength and support during strenuous years for the gay and lesbian community. The Denver Gay Men's Chorus is a talented choral ensemble that is dedicated to musical excellence. The group speaks through song to issues meaningful to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. Touching ears and hearts alike, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and its messages of acceptance and pride continue to be in large demand with diverse audiences.

Chorus Council

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus is a program of Rocky Mountain Arts Association. Day-to-day membership and program related issues are managed by the Chorus Council of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus.

Denver Gay Men's Chorus - Chorus Council

Dale Britt - Chorus President
Owen Niland - Chorus Vice-President
Randy Bolen
Santiago E. del Regato, Jr.
Robert Haerr
Don McMaster
Wayne Millsaps
Ben Riggs - Ex-Officio
Erin McLain - Ex-Officio

Artistic Staff

Ben Riggs, Artistic Director
Gabrielle Dietrich, Assistant Director
Rick Miller, Principal Accompanist