Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus

SUNDAY, APRIL 6: Our mission of gay men building community through music was in evidence this weekend in Fargo, North Dakota as the men of TCGMC joined with a large and enthusiastic hometown audience to welcome the new Fargo-Moorhead Gay Men’s Chorus to the stage. Welcome to the Show! was billed as the coming out concert for the new chorus and TCGMC was honored to have been a part of it. The concert opened with FMGMC and they were later joined by about 90 members of TCGMC on stage to sing together in song. In Act II, TCGMC presented the encore performance of I Am Harvey Milk to an audience of over 600 people.

The concert was also billed as a fundraiser for FMGMC; instead of paid admission the chorus asked audience members to make a donation and participate in a silent auction in the lobby. A local donor generously covered the costs of renting the beautiful Fargo Theatre for the performance.

At the end of the concert, TCGMC presented the new Fargo chorus with a donation of funds collected from our own audience back here at Ted Mann Concert Hall during our performances of I Am Harvey Milk on March 28 and 29. There was not a dry eye in the house when we announced that our own audience had raised $5,600 to help FMGMC get off to a good start.

(Clockwise, from top left: The marquee of the Fargo Theatre in downtown Fargo; the men of FMGMC in rehearsal on the afternoon of Saturday, April 5; the men of TCGMC on the bus and on the way to their performance; the men of both FMGMC and TCGMC perform together; Artistic Director Dr. Ben Riggs leading TCGMC in warmups on the Fargo Theatre stage.

Our audience agrees: I Am Harvey Milk was a great success!

“What a remarkable piece of music. It was intelligent and educational, while also capturing so much emotion in the happiness, confusion, fear, anger, and ongoing quest for social justice of Harvey Milk’s life, campaign victory, and short time in office prior to his murder in San Francisco in the late ’70s. The musicality was excellent in the Chorus, the instrumentalists, the direction, and the soloists. And, the inclusion of Allegro, the oldest choir of the Minnesota Boychoir, in tonight’s performance was particularly impressive. I experienced quite a few moments of both pride and envy as I acknowledged how fortunate the Boychoir members are to share a stage with so many wonderful role models who express such dedication and joy in singing in a choir as adults. Truly, a superb evening.”

“Wow, what a moving performance by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus of their commission I Am Harvey Milk! … Quinn was brilliant as young Harvey.”

“I Am Harvey Milk both breaks your heart, and puts it back together again. It’s a beautifully written and thought-provoking piece of art, which left me, literally, in tears at the end.  If you ever have a chance to hear this music, do it. Just hear it. It’s sublime.”

“Tonight’s premiere of I Am Harvey Milk was extraordinary. Commissioned by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, they did themselves so proud. A powerful window into the life of one man that helped me see the whole world more clearly. Go see it tomorrow if you can.”

“It’s fitting that Harvey Milk, who loved opera and theater and has been the subject of many films and books, finally should be feted musically. The hourlong oratorio I Am Harvey Milk, written by Broadway composer and performer Andrew Lippa, will be performed this week by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, one of six gay choruses that co-commissioned it…Lippa has given the oratorio, a traditional classical form most associated with religious themes, a thoroughly modern pop makeover more in tune with his Tony-nominated work on the Broadway musical The Addams Family than Handel’s Messiah.” – Kristin Tillotson, Minneapolis Star Tribune. Read the entire preview here.

Sunday, August 25: “Growing up in Brainerd, Linda Eder worshipped fellow northern Minnesotan Judy Garland and became a big-voiced Broadway ballad belter who went from “Star Search” winner (the precursor to “American Idol”) to being the muse and wife of musical theater composer Frank Wildhorn. She found her greatest success in the 1997 Broadway production of his “Jekyll & Hyde” and has gone on to originate roles in many of his works. Eder returns to her home state to perform a concert of show tunes and pop fare with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, which pulled an all-nighter Aug. 1, serenading the first gay and lesbian couples to marry in Minnesota.” - Rob Hubbard, Pioneer Press/TwinCities.com – “Twin Cities Best Entertainment Bets for the Weekend of Aug. 23-29″

Last night, the men of Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus performed on stage with Linda Eder, the elegant Minnesota vocalist who went from a stunning debut on “Star Search” to sing at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Eder is one of the most popular interpreters of theatrical songs to emerge in the 90s, showcasing precise intonation and a soaring voice which brings to life a repertoire of pop hits and showtunes.

The audience was filled with fans of Ms. Eder (and a few vocal fans of our own!) for an evening of wonderful entertainment that featured a trip down memory lane for Ms. Eder. Highlights included Vienna, The Mad Hatter, Man of LaMancha and a show-stopping performance of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.

The Chorus would like to thank Ms. Eder for her generosity, graciousness and friendship. We really enjoyed working with her at her Master Class and the opportunity to sing with her was a once in a lifetime experience!

We asked our Chorus members to share their stories. Stories of coming out. Stories of acceptance. Stories of realization – that moment when they knew that life indeed was going to get better. For many of our Chorus members, it was joining the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus that made the difference. Learn more about Our Amazing Stories!

November 3, 2010: On October 26, 2010, we gathered at our regular Tuesday evening rehearsal at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis to record a message of hope for our younger brothers and sisters.

This video has been included as part of the “It Gets Better” Project. Read our complete message and watch our video here.