Media Kit
Year Founded
1982
Mission
Create musical experiences to inspire change, build community and celebrate difference.
Membership
350+ members
Repertoire
Classical, new music, show tunes, and popular music
Commissions
24+ from leading composers. John Bucchino, Joshua Shank, Jake Heggie, Lowell Liebermann, Daniel Pinkham, Conrad Susa, David Conte, Libby Larsen, Alice Parker, Roger Bourland, Ricky Ian Gordon and many others.
Performances
Annual Series: 3 programs / 10 total performances
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall
Attendance
12,000 (all performances)
1.5 million (video views per year)
Photo by Gretjen Helene Photography
About The Chorus
The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus is one of New England’s largest and most successful community-based choruses. Founded in 1982, the 200-voice ensemble is celebrated for its outstanding musicianship, creative programming, and groundbreaking community outreach. Under the dynamic leadership of Music Director Reuben M. Reynolds III, the BGMC sings a wide spectrum of classical and popular music and creates social change by providing a positive, affirming image of the gay and lesbian community. The Chorus is heard live by more than 10,000 people each season and thousands more through recording, television and internet broadcasts. CBS-WBZ named the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus one of the “top 5” choruses in the city of Boston. BGMC are Cultural Ambassadors — being the first LGBT chorus to perform in Poland in 2005, the Middle East in 2015 and in South Africa in June 2018.
Recordings
- Joy, 2010
- In Need of Music, 2009
- Live in Poland, 2005
- Here to Stay: The Music of George Gershwin, 2005
- Best of the BGMC Live, 2004; nominee, 2005 Outmusic Award
- Razzle Dazzle: The Broadway Hits of Kander & Ebb, 2003; nominee, ‘04 Outmusic Award
- Gloria!, 2001; winner, 2002 Outmusic Award, “Outstanding New Recording-Chorus”
- Eos, 2000
- Oz and Beyond: The Music of Harold Arlen, 1999
- Freedom, Merriment & Joy, 1996
- Visions: Words for the Future, 1994
Guest Artists
Todrick Hall, Laura Benanti, Nell Carter, Ann Hampton Callaway, Lea DeLaria, Linda Eder, Sutton Foster, Katharine McPhee, Alex Newell, Faith Prince, Stephen Schwartz, Lillias White, Nancy Armstrong, soprano; D’Anna Fortunato, mezzo; James Maddalena, baritone; Fenwick Smith, flutist
Organizational Collaborations
Boston Pops Orchestra and Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Boston Lyric Opera, Treble Chorus of New England, Lavender Light: Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir, Voices Rising, Gloria of Dublin, Ireland; plus the Gay Men’s Choruses of Denver, London, Maine, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Awards
- 2019 Open Door Award from Old South Church on their 350th Anniversary
- 2016 Massachusetts Nonprofit Network’s (MNN) Excellence Award in Communications
- 2015 Israeli Consulate of Boston award for Community Service Excellence
- 2014 Aaron Stein Memorial award (American Group Psychotherapy Association)
- 2010 Greater Boston Business Council Community Service Organization award for Excellence
- 2008 Massachusetts Teachers Association “Creative Leadership in Human Rights” award
- 2003 Telly Award – the Visionaries
Type Of Organization
501(c)3
Active Member
GALA Choruses, Chorus America, ArtsBoston, Greater Boston Choral Consortium, MASS Creative
Performance Highlights
- 2005 Tour to Berlin, Germany; Wroclaw, Poland; Prague, Czech Republic
- First gay chorus to ever perform in Poland
- Performed in front of 700,000 people at Germany’s Gay Pride
Boston Opera House grand opening celebration with Boston Pops Orchestra, Keith Lockhart, conductor. - 5 concerts at Symphony Hall, 1999 (world premiere of With Voices Raised)
- July 4th Esplanade concert, telecast on A&E network (5.7 million viewers)
- Boston Pops CD “A Splash of Pops” (RCA Victor)
- Fleet Center Grand Opening Concert, 1995 (with James Taylor and Boston Pops)
- Boston Mayor Thomas Menino Inaugural Celebration
- Belmont High School with BHS Concert Choir (first gay chorus to sing with HS choir)
- Boston Children’s Museum 80th Anniversary Gala
- Boston Lyric Opera (chorus for Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman)
- Performed for Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson at Wilbur Oct. 2012 as birthday surprise
- Inaugural Gala Celebration for Gov. Charlie Baker, Jan. 2015. First gay performing arts group to do so at a gubernatorial inauguration in New England, first (R) inauguration in US
- Israeli Independence Day, May 2015
- Chorus America, June 2015 Opening night concert – closing performance
- 2015 Middle East Tour. First gay chorus to ever tour and perform in Israel & Turkey, June 2015
- National Anthem at Fenway Park, 2018
- U.S. Conference of Mayors, June 2018
- 2018 South Africa Tour. First LGBTQ chorus to tour region.
Regional Performances
In addition to scores of performances throughout the Boston metro area, the BGMC has performed in all six New England states as well as San Francisco and San Jose, CA; Washington, DC.; New York City and Albany, NY; Tampa and Miami, FL; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO (twice); Minneapolis and Montreal, QC.
Performances In Great Halls
Symphony Hall, Boston; Jordan Hall, Boston; Sanders Theatre, Cambridge; Carnegie Hall & Avery Fisher Hall, NYC; Rudolphinum, Prague; Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco; Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis; Knight Concert Hall, Miami; Place des Arts, Montreal
Supporters
Bank of America, JetBlue, Boston IVF, Product Genesis, Massachusetts Cultural Council
Previous: Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Bell Atlantic, The Gillette Company, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Eastern Bank, Ipswich, JetBlue, Mellon Trust, Macy’s, Wainwright Bank, Out Magazine, NStar, The Phoenix, Deloitte & Touche, Bristol Myers Squibb, Stop & Shop, Yale Appliance, Tufts Health Plan, The Shops at Prudential Center, Manhunt.
Foundation Support
Paul & Edith Babson Foundation, Susan A. and Donald P. Babson Foundation, Liberty Mutual Foundation, Eastern Bank Foundation, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, The Vision Fund, The Boston Foundation/Lesbian & Gay Communities Funding Partnership, Meet the Composer, Inc., Grass Roots Gay Rights Fund, Alfred Nash Patterson Foundation for Choral Arts, Proscenium Fund for Audience Development
Public Support
Massachusetts Cultural Council, Boston Cultural Council, National Endowment for the Arts/Recovery.org stimulus, City of Boston
Honorary Advisors
Previous: Gov. William Weld, Gov. Paul Cellucci, Sen. John Kerry, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy, U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, Mayor Thomas Menino, Mayor Raymond Flynn
Honorary Annual Campaign Chairpersons:
Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner, WBZ-TV News Anchor Liz Walker
Community Engagement
The BGMC supports the communities that it is part of including the women’s community, people living with HIV/AIDS, gay/lesbian youth, and many progressive causes such as: AIDS Action Committee, Human Rights Campaign, Boston Area Gay/Lesbian Youth, Rosie’s Place, Fenway Community Health Center, Boston Living Center, Positive Directions, AIDS Project Worcester, AIDS Services for Monadnock Region, and numerous others.
The Chorus performs at schools, houses of worship and other community gathering spots and raises money for supportive organizations and Gay/Straight Student Alliances. To date this unique outreach program has raised over $660,000 for the beneficiary organizations.
Downloads
Promotional Materials
Logos