Heartland Men's Chorus
Encyclopedia
Heartland Men’s Chorus is a gay men’s chorus located in Kansas City
. Founded in 1986, and currently featuring more than 150 singing members, HMC performs an annual concert series to live audiences in excess of 6,700 at its performance home, the Folly Theater
. In addition to its subscription concert series, HMC regularly performs community outreach, reaching an estimated 8,000 additional audience members. The Chorus is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and, as a performing force, is the largest men’s chorus in the region. In terms of infrastructure and budget, HMC is the largest community chorus in the region. HMC is also the oldest cultural institution serving the LGBT community in the region.
and a national signature event of the Lewis & Clark bicentennial, A Journey Fourth.
In order to reach beyond the Greater Kansas City area, the Chorus has performed elsewhere in the two-state area including Columbia, Joplin
, Springfield and Maryville in Missouri
and in Baldwin City, Lawrence, Topeka, and Wichita in Kansas
.
Outside the two-state area, the Chorus has sung with GALA member choruses at their home sites of St. Louis, Chicago
, Washington, D.C.
, and Dallas. In 2002, an international tour took members to London
, Paris
and Hamburg, Germany, where they shared the stage with other GALA Choruses.
In addition, the Chorus has performed at five quadrennial festivals of GALA Choruses
. Festival experiences have allowed the Chorus to perform in Denver, CO; Tampa, FL; San Jose, CA; Montreal, Canada, and most recently Miami, FL for GALA Festival 2008.
The Chorus has reached out through Martin Luther King Day
observances, Harmony in a World of Difference events and AIDS awareness events. The Chorus joined with the Women's Chorus of Dallas to present Sing for the Cure, a benefit that raised $12,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure
.
In recent years, the Chorus has presented two family matinee concerts, featuring pieces based on works by internationally renowned children's author Tomie DePaola
. In 2003, the Chorus performed on the Folly Theater Children's Series, presenting music to two sold-out houses of school children.
Since 1994, the Chorus has produced nine CDs, as well as two DVDs of concert events: The Few, the Proud, featuring Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer
as narrator, and All God's Children, featuring the Rev. Dr. Mel White
of Soulforce
as narrator.
, a major work featuring orchestra and dance; and Country Angel Christmas, based on a children's book by Tomie DePaola. In 2005, the Chorus joined with the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles
to co-commission Life is a Cabaret, a concert tribute to the songwriting team of John Kander
and Fred Ebb
.
In addition, the Chorus joined with other GALA Choruses in commissioning Oliver Button is a Sissy, a half-hour musical based on another book by DePaola. The Chorus also has commissioned several song arrangements, featuring the talents of Eric Lane Barnes, Mark Hayes, Scott Farthing, and Paul Siskind.
The late Gina Scaggs Epifano was the first paid director of the Chorus. Among GALA Chorus directors, she was one of the first women to conduct a men's chorus.
She was followed by Reuben Reynolds III, who directed the Chorus from 1990 to 1998. In his tenure, the Chorus moved to the Folly Theater as its performance home and broadened its scope and reach.
It was under his leadership that in 1998 the Chorus received the GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Award for its outstanding achievements as an arts organization and for its highly visible presence in the Kansas City gay and lesbian community.
Since 1998, the Chorus has been under the direction of artistic director Dr. Joseph P. Nadeau. Under his leadership, the Chorus has expanded its number of subscription performances and performed at the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association
.
Rick Fisher, who became executive director in 1997, is responsible for day-to-day operation, a task in which he is assisted by the fifth section, HeartLight, a group of volunteers that provides behind-the-scenes work and support for the Chorus.
On the official level, the Board of Directors and its committees (Development, Finance, Human Resources, Board Development, Membership Services, and GALA Fund-raising) make decisions for the long-range development of the Chorus.http://www.hmckc.org/about/History.aspx
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Founded in 1986, and currently featuring more than 150 singing members, HMC performs an annual concert series to live audiences in excess of 6,700 at its performance home, the Folly Theater
Folly Theater
The Standard Theatre, now known as the Folly Theater and also known as the Century Theater and Shubert's Missouri, is a former vaudeville hall in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Built in 1900, it was designed by Kansas City architect Louis S. Curtiss...
. In addition to its subscription concert series, HMC regularly performs community outreach, reaching an estimated 8,000 additional audience members. The Chorus is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and, as a performing force, is the largest men’s chorus in the region. In terms of infrastructure and budget, HMC is the largest community chorus in the region. HMC is also the oldest cultural institution serving the LGBT community in the region.
Early years
In 1986, a small group of men had a dream of forming a choral group in Kansas City. After much discussion and planning, their efforts led to the formation of the Chorus, which had its debut concert on December 14 of that year. The first concert, featuring 30 men, was dedicated to the memory of their friend Brian McLothlin.Performance Highlights
Over the years, the Chorus has reached out by performing in a host of area venues, singing in churches, theaters, nightclubs, parks and union halls. The Chorus has sung for the opening gala of a traveling exhibit of the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and a national signature event of the Lewis & Clark bicentennial, A Journey Fourth.
In order to reach beyond the Greater Kansas City area, the Chorus has performed elsewhere in the two-state area including Columbia, Joplin
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
, Springfield and Maryville in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and in Baldwin City, Lawrence, Topeka, and Wichita in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
Outside the two-state area, the Chorus has sung with GALA member choruses at their home sites of St. Louis, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and Dallas. In 2002, an international tour took members to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Hamburg, Germany, where they shared the stage with other GALA Choruses.
In addition, the Chorus has performed at five quadrennial festivals of GALA Choruses
GALA Choruses
The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. Its goal is to foster artistic and organizational development within its member choruses. The association includes almost 10,000 vocalists in over 100 associated choruses singing as...
. Festival experiences have allowed the Chorus to perform in Denver, CO; Tampa, FL; San Jose, CA; Montreal, Canada, and most recently Miami, FL for GALA Festival 2008.
The Chorus has reached out through Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday, January 15. The floating holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform...
observances, Harmony in a World of Difference events and AIDS awareness events. The Chorus joined with the Women's Chorus of Dallas to present Sing for the Cure, a benefit that raised $12,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, often referred to as simply Komen, is the most widely known, largest and best-funded breast cancer organization in the US....
.
In recent years, the Chorus has presented two family matinee concerts, featuring pieces based on works by internationally renowned children's author Tomie DePaola
Tomie dePaola
Thomas Anthony "Tomie A." dePaola , is an American author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor book 26 Fairmount Avenue. DePaola was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 2011.-Biography:DePaola was born in Meriden,...
. In 2003, the Chorus performed on the Folly Theater Children's Series, presenting music to two sold-out houses of school children.
Since 1994, the Chorus has produced nine CDs, as well as two DVDs of concert events: The Few, the Proud, featuring Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer
Margarethe Cammermeyer
Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer is a former colonel in the Washington National Guard and a gay rights activist. Born in Oslo, Norway, she became a United States citizen in 1960. In 1961 she joined the Army Student Nurse Program. She received a B.S. in Nursing in 1963 from the University of...
as narrator, and All God's Children, featuring the Rev. Dr. Mel White
Mel White
James Melville "Mel" White is an American clergyman and author. White was a behind-the-scenes member of the Evangelical Protestant movement through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, writing speeches and ghostwriting books for televangelists such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Billy Graham...
of Soulforce
Soulforce (organization)
Soulforce is an American social justice and civil rights organization that supports acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people through dialogue and creative forms of nonviolent direct action...
as narrator.
Commissioned works
Since 2002 alone, the Chorus has commissioned three major works: Two Flutes Playing, by Kansas City composer Mark HayesMark Hayes (composer)
Mark Hayes is an American composer and arranger. His predominant output is of choral music in the Christian sacred music and gospel music genres.- Biography :Hayes was born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin...
, a major work featuring orchestra and dance; and Country Angel Christmas, based on a children's book by Tomie DePaola. In 2005, the Chorus joined with the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles
Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles
- About :The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles has been a notable part of the Southern California performing arts community for over twenty-eight years...
to co-commission Life is a Cabaret, a concert tribute to the songwriting team of John Kander
John Kander
John Harold Kander is the American composer of a number of musicals as part of the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb.-Life and career:Kander was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Bernice and Harold S. Kander...
and Fred Ebb
Fred Ebb
Fred Ebb was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera....
.
In addition, the Chorus joined with other GALA Choruses in commissioning Oliver Button is a Sissy, a half-hour musical based on another book by DePaola. The Chorus also has commissioned several song arrangements, featuring the talents of Eric Lane Barnes, Mark Hayes, Scott Farthing, and Paul Siskind.
Leadership
The first conductor of the Chorus was Father Ambrose Karels, followed by co-directors Rande Stewart and Stephen Johnson.The late Gina Scaggs Epifano was the first paid director of the Chorus. Among GALA Chorus directors, she was one of the first women to conduct a men's chorus.
She was followed by Reuben Reynolds III, who directed the Chorus from 1990 to 1998. In his tenure, the Chorus moved to the Folly Theater as its performance home and broadened its scope and reach.
It was under his leadership that in 1998 the Chorus received the GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Award for its outstanding achievements as an arts organization and for its highly visible presence in the Kansas City gay and lesbian community.
Since 1998, the Chorus has been under the direction of artistic director Dr. Joseph P. Nadeau. Under his leadership, the Chorus has expanded its number of subscription performances and performed at the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association
American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
.
Rick Fisher, who became executive director in 1997, is responsible for day-to-day operation, a task in which he is assisted by the fifth section, HeartLight, a group of volunteers that provides behind-the-scenes work and support for the Chorus.
On the official level, the Board of Directors and its committees (Development, Finance, Human Resources, Board Development, Membership Services, and GALA Fund-raising) make decisions for the long-range development of the Chorus.http://www.hmckc.org/about/History.aspx
Discography
- Freedom (2010)
- Quest Unending (2008)
- A New December (2005)
- Heartland Pride (2004)
- Let Heaven and Nature Swing (2003)
- Two Flutes Playing (2002)
- Voices from the Heart (2002)
- A Kansas City Legacy (2000)
- With Love from the Heartland (1998)
- A Song for Christmas (1994, reissued 2005)
Affiliations
- American Choral Directors AssociationAmerican Choral Directors AssociationThe American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
(ACDA) - Chorus America
- GALA ChorusesGALA ChorusesThe Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. Its goal is to foster artistic and organizational development within its member choruses. The association includes almost 10,000 vocalists in over 100 associated choruses singing as...
(Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses)
External links
- Heartland Men's Chorus Official website
- GALA Choruses, Inc. Official website