Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus Announces New Executive Director, Kevin Stocks!

October 23, 2019 (Minneapolis) – Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus (TCGMC) announces the hiring of its new Executive Director, Kevin Stocks.

A graduate of St. Olaf College, Mr. Stocks comes to TCGMC with over a decade of experience in music and live event management. He was most recently Director of Events for Gray Duck Media, producers of The Beer Dabbler craft beer festivals, and before that spent nearly 10 years as Assistant Director for Marketing and Promotion in the office of Music Organizations at St. Olaf College, working with the St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Band and St. Olaf Orchestra.

“I am honored to be assuming the role of Executive Director for TCGMC after many years of admiring the organization’s mission of gay men building community through music” Mr. Stocks remarked on his new role. “I look forward to supporting the strong tradition of high quality music-making, while expanding on opportunities to do outreach work, and maintaining and developing new and sustainable funding sources.”

“We are very excited to welcome Kevin into this role with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus.,” said John Azbill-Salisbury, Board Chair. “Kevin’s experience of bringing creative and innovative approaches to marketing, fundraising, and community engagement will be an incredible asset to the chorus, especially as we prepare for this year’s 2020 GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis and as we begin our planning to celebrate the chorus’s 40th season next year.”

Mr. Stocks realized a passion for choral music at an early age. Singing through the ranks of the Oregon Children’s Choir in his hometown of Eugene, he had the opportunity to be part of the first Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy at the world-renowned Oregon Bach Festival under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong.

He attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, singing and touring with the St. Olaf Choir for three years before graduating with a BA in Music and a concentration in management studies. Upon graduation, Kevin toured North America and Asia with family stage shows in the capacity of company manager before returning to Oregon to assume a role at the University of Oregon Alumni Association in alumni relations.

Shortly after that, Kevin was drawn back to music and returned to Minnesota to take on a new position in the office of Music Organizations at St. Olaf College. For almost 10 years he promoted the tours and recordings of the St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Band and St. Olaf Orchestra, including successful feature performances at renowned concert venues around the US such as Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Meyerson Symphony Center. Kevin was also part of a movement to bring live simulcast performances to the big screen and contributed to the promotion and production of the 2007 Christmas at St. Olaf: Where Peace and Love and Hope Abide that was seen by 2.5 million people.

During Kevin’s tenure at St. Olaf he produced over a dozen audio and video recordings for retail, and managed St. Olaf Records, the college’s private recording label. This included the 2013 Christmas in Norway with the St. Olaf Choir which was broadcast on PBS stations around the country and received the Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Award for Special Event Coverage, the widely popular Great Hymns of Faith series as well as the annual recordings of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival.

For the last four years Kevin has been the Director of Events for Gray Duck Media, producers of The Beer Dabbler craft beer festivals and Growler Magazine.

Kevin served on the Executive Board of the College Music Tour Managers Association and is currently a member of the board of directors for Cantus, an eight-member male vocal a cappella ensemble based in Minneapolis.

More about Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus

Now in its 39^th season, Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus is an award-winning chorus that has built a solid reputation for musical excellence and dynamic programming. TCGMC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) voluntary community chorus. Formed in 1981, Twin Cities Men’s Chorus “came out” when they added the word “Gay” to its title in 1991. TCGMC is a member of GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses).  The organization was formed to build community through music while pursuing musical excellence in performance. In addition, the Chorus seeks to provide its members with rewarding musical experiences and to promote social exchange among a group of men with a common purpose. As an organization that celebrates diversity and uses music to transform, educate and heal, TCGMC works towards the elimination of homophobia and intolerance through community outreach.