2020 March:  Uncertainty. Distance. Temporary?  Zoom. April:  Flexibility. Pivoting. Giving up on pants. Virtual Choirs.  So. Much. Zoom. May:  Unprecedented. Search for engagement.  ZOOOOOOM! June: Long-term plans. Re-invention. Settling in.  Zzzzzz… July:  New reality. Planning. Zoom. But also long walks, phone calls, innovation, and brainstorming. My sister, Laura Compton, wrote the following (shared to social […]

Many organizations and businesses, including many GALA choruses, released official statements condemning racism in the wake of the public execution of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Some of these statements were heartfelt, some were painfully missing the point—filled with trivializing clichés about “how similar we are despite our differences,” invalidating the specific anguish being articulated by […]

I live 5 blocks from the intersection where George Floyd was killed. In the days and weeks after his death our neighborhood was transformed into what I can only imagine must feel like a war zone. Helicopters and sirens circled 24-7, convoys of camouflaged national guard trucks patrolled our streets, curfews were set, and white […]

“I can’t breathe.” These are the last words of George Floyd and Eric Garner. It’s also a symptom of the generational trauma experienced by African-American communities during 400 years of systemic racism in the service of white supremecy. In these words we hear the voices of the untold numbers of Black people killed by law […]

from GALA Choruses Board President Dwight Joyner: I turned to my husband this morning and asked, “Does it feel as though our world is falling apart?” Pandemic Hungry children  Covid-19 response mismanagement and politicization The deaths of loved ones and icons And now the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in my hometown […]

Survivability and Sustainability in a Time of Chaos COVID-19 has turned the world of performing arts—especially choruses—upside down. As of this writing, we don’t know when it will be safe for choruses to rehearse and perform together again. The decisions we make for our organizations in the coming weeks and months will determine how our […]

“No one overreacts. It’s just that what you’re reacting to may not be what’s in front of you.” –Terry Real The experience of quarantine in response to the coronavirus pandemic has been emotionally challenging for people. While much has been made of coronavirus as a great equalizer and public health officials have reminded folks that […]