Festival Choruses & Guest Conductors

By  GALA Expert 

 June 23, 2023 

  

Eight Festival Choruses offer singing delegates the chance to work with a guest conductor, rehearse with singers from across the world, and perform in an evening Blockbuster concert. Sign up now!

Singer laughing with 5-6 other singers around them.

 

Festival Choruses
Eight Festival Choruses offer registered delegates the chance to work with a guest conductor, rehearse with singers from across the GALA family, and to perform in an evening Blockbuster concert. Individual delegates not attending with a chorus are invited to sing with the Multae Voces chorus, or any other Festival chorus of your choosing.

Singers will receive scores and rehearsal tracks by March 17 and you are expected to learn your part before arriving in Minneapolis.  You will not be sent the Festival Chorus music until your Festival registration is complete. On-site rehearsals begin Wednesday, July 10 and are also scheduled during morning hours throughout Festival 2024.

Please review the performance and rehearsal schedule and compare it with your chorus/ensemble schedule before registering for a Festival Chorus. If you have a chorus tech rehearsal or concert that conflicts with a rehearsal time, you may still sing with the Festival chorus as long as you attend the other rehearsals.  You may register for ONE mass chorus; note that voice parts are limited to keep sections balanced. There is a $10 fee to cover costs of scores and rehearsal tracks. After registering you will receive an email with a link to scores, rehearsal tracks and information from your Festival Chorus conductor.

To sign up for a Festival Chorus, log into the Integra Online Store: open the “Quick links” drop-down menu on your home page, and select the Online Store option.  On the store Purchase Items page, select the chorus you wish to join with your particular voice part.

Join a Festival Chorus
headshot of Abby Hall, black person with bald head and blue lipstick, above headshot of Dominik DiOrio, who smiles, wearing a black turtleneck and glasses.
Multae Voces Festival Chorus
Multae Voces, conducted by Dominick DiOrio (he/him) and Trans Chorus of LA Artistic Director Abdullah Rasheen-Hall (they/them), is an SATB chorus for all singers and we especially welcome singers at Festival who are not performing with a home chorus. Our first performance is for the Festival Opening at Peavey Plaza stage so singers must arrive at Festival for morning rehearsals on July 10. This chorus also performs in the Peace of Wild Things Blockbuster, July 11th from 7:15 to 8:30 PM on the Central Lutheran Stage.
Lígia Pucci stands outside under a tree, wearing a blue and red striped shirt, smiling
Voces Latinas Festival Chorus

Voces Latinas Festival Chorus, conducted by Lígia Pucci (she/they) is an SATB chorus featuring music of Latin, Central and South America. All songs are in Spanish; all singers welcome! This chorus performs in the Harmonies of the Sphere Blockbuster on July 13 from 7:15 to 8:30PM on the Orchestra Hall Stage.

headshot of Kimberly Waigwa, black person with long, dark locks and glasses
Trans & Nonbinary Festival Chorus

Trans & Nonbinary Festival Chorus, conducted by Kimberly Waigwa (they/them), is open to singers who identify as transgender, nonbinary or intersex. This chorus will perform in Banned Blockbuster on July 13 from 9:00 to 10:15 PM on the MCC Auditorium Stage.

Above Will Zwozdesky conducts against a cream background, wearing a black polka dot shirt. Below Ash smiles in front of a window. They wear clear-framed glasses and a gray shirt.
Prime Time Festival Chorus
Prime Time Festival Chorus, conducted by Willi Zwozdesky (he/him) and Ash (they/she), is for singers age 65 and older. Join us and put a face on the strength, skill, and beauty of our elder voices! This chorus performs in the Light the Fire…Share the Torch Blockbuster on July 14 from 7:15 to 9:00PM on the MCC Auditorium Stage.
Eric Williamson wears a white shirt and blue blazer. He stands in front of a wood paneled wall.
Queer Gospel Chorus

Queer Gospel Choir, conducted by Eric Williamson (he/him), is an SATB chorus open to all singers. Parts will be taught by rote including an April Zoom rehearsal with Eric and Lavender Light. This chorus will perform in the Banned Blockbuster on July 13 from 9:00 to 10:15 PM on the MCC Auditorium Stage, and, tentatively, an additional performance at George Floyd Square, date and time TBD.

Steve Milloy conducts, wearing a purple shirt under a black blazer.
Bayard Rustin Festival Chorus

Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream, conducted by Steve Milloy (he/him), will perform three movements in the Legacy Blockbuster (Black Boy Born, Stick in the Wheel, We Shall Not Be Moved). Open to individual singers from choirs that have performed Bayard Rustin previously, including alumni. This chorus performs in the Legacy Blockbuster on July 11 from 9:00 to 10:15 PM on the MCC Auditorium Stage.

Three headshots stack vertically with Ash on top, then Joseph Lee, and finally Paul Heins on the bottom.
GenZ Festival Chorus

GenZ Festival Chorus is conducted by Paul Heins (he/him), Joe Lee (he/him) and Ash (they/she). This chorus is open to any singer ages 13-18. It performs in the TransFusion Cabaret on July 12 from 7:30 to 8:30PM and in the Light the Fire…Share the Torch Blockbuster on July 14 from 7:15 to 9:00PM on the MCC Auditorium Stage.