Portland Gay Men's Chorus Connections April 2009

May 2007 The Portland Gay Men's Chorus aspires to expand, redefine, and perfect the choral art through eclectic performances that honor and uplift the gay community and affirm the worth of all people.     QUICK LINKS     PGMC RESOURCES    o Our Website  o Online Store  o Auditions  o Volunteering  o Donations      MORE GAY ARTS    o Confluence  o PLC  o RCGFB                                 WEBSITE Visit the PGMC Website   STORE Concert tickets, merchandise and more   DONATE TODAY Make a donation to PGMC today   AROUND THE WORLD IN TWO HOURS     On April 4, and 5, 2009, PGMC and Jet Pink took patrons attending Earthly Harmonies on a world tour. Performing in nine languages, PGMC traveled to six continents and sang music from 18 different countries. Artistic Director Bob Mensel said this concert was in support of the PGMC mission to "...affirm the worth of all people," and what better way to do that than to sing the music of some of our neighbors on this small planet! The audience enthusiastically expressed their thanks and appreciation for the performance. Click the picture above to enjoy a sample of the music. Before singing Zikr, Vikram Srinivasan spoke about India, ending his comments acknowledging the social statement being made by a "...a devout Hindu and a western gay chorus singing a Muslim song."       PGMC STIMULUS PACKAGE     Dear PGMC Supporter, Despite challenges, the show must go on. The gay choral movement began in 1979 as a non-violent response to the assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The Portland Gay Men's Chorus was an early participant in that movement, and PGMC is proud to be the fourth-oldest gay men's chorus in America. It is easy to forget the atmosphere of the early years. "Conservative" activists picketed PGMC's performances. Some Chorus members listed themselves as "Name Withheld" on the programs for fear of reprisals from employers. Bomb threats were made in an effort to disrupt performances. Changes have occurred and the Chorus has done its part to bring about those changes. Our concerts have addressed the challenging issues of civil rights, marriage equality, family, HIV/AIDS, war, and poverty. Our outreach programs have touched communities throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Our membership provided seed money for what is now the Cascade AIDS Project, and our volunteers continue to work closely with many community partners. Nevertheless, many challenges remain. The fight for freedom and equality has not been won. PGMC is determined to continue to present our message of hope and equality and we need your help to do so. Like other arts organizations, we rely on donations from our friends and supporters for part of our budget. In the current economic climate, support from foundations and corporations has been reduced. Moreover, our 2008 holiday concert, normally our best attended and most profitable, was disrupted by a catastrophic winter storm. At considerable cost, we were obliged to reschedule two of the three performances and to clear walkways and parking lots to provide safe access for our guests. You are the cornerstone of our financial health. Our challenges will be met and overcome. Your participation as a donor insures that the Chorus will continue to be a community leader for years to come. Please help us insure that the show will go on. Thank you!       MARS ON BROADWAY     Saturday, June 13, 2009; 7:30 pm Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Susannah Mars, prominent star of Portland's theater and cabaret scene, will be our special guest as we romp through some of the greatest musical moments from Broadway. Favorites from Rent, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, and the Music Man are just a few of the hugely popular and foot-stomping numbers Susannah and the chorus will perform. The Oregonian says, "When Susannah Mars sings, the world stops." We agree! So don't miss this earth-stopping songfest of musical delights when PGMC meets Mars on Broadway.   Feel free to forward this on to others. If you no longer wish to receive messages of this type from PGMC, please click here.

Posted via email from Corey's posterous