I live in Palm Springs, I am on the working board of a chorus in Palm Springs, and my husband is on the GALA board. You could say that my attendance at the recent GALA Symposium in Palm Springs was guaranteed! But I really did not have time. An old boss used to tell me, […]

  In January 2017, the Pink Singers – London’s LGBT community choir, travelled to India to perform with Rainbow Voices Mumbai, India’s first LGBT choir, in a ground-breaking concert called “We Shall Overcome” at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, and to march with them at Queer Azaadi Mumbai – Mumbai Pride. Preparing for […]

We find ourselves in a moment of great political change. As visible, vocal members of our communities, GALA Choruses are uniquely positioned to be forces for justice, solidarity, and hope. But how can can we actively engage in advocacy, while remaining focused on our missions? How can we engage with the political realities of our times without putting our […]

Back in October, a couple of weeks before the U.S. national election, my board colleagues chose me to serve as Board president of GALA Choruses for 2017. I can recall feeling excited at the prospect of helping to lead our association through a continuing era of progress. And then November 8th happened. Many of us […]

Two years ago I had lunch with Steve Milloy at the GALA Leadership Symposium in Cleveland. While chatting Steve asked if I would be interested in commissioning a musical oratorio on the life of gay, African American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. I said yes immediately; I’m pretty sure he hadn’t even finished the sentence! I […]

For twenty years VOX Femina has been committed to championing new works by women, commissioning over 40 pieces since our beginning. This November 19, at the “VOX20: Reflections” concert, VOX Femina was pleased to present “Kindness,” a beautiful new piece “commissioned by founding member Mary Read in honor of her wife, Liz Cvikel”. Listen to […]

On the third day out from having been immersed in the music of GALA Choruses Festival X for six days and nights, with songs and melodies and harmonies and words swirling around in my brain and my heart, I feel compelled to write down just a few stories from my own personal experiences at the […]