Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps
Encyclopedia
The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC) is a community band
based in New York City
. Founded on September 24, 1979 as the New York Gay Community Marching Band, LGBAC is the third-oldest community band in the United States dedicated to serving the LGBT
community. The mission of LGBAC is to provide the lesbian and gay community with a supportive and friendly environment for musical and artistic expression and, through performance, to promote social acceptance, equality, and harmony for all. Membership is all-inclusive, predominantly lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, transgender
, and queer
, and the band welcomes heterosexual players as well. The band performs year-round as both a concert band
and a marching band
.
As a concert band, LGBAC traditionally produces two concerts each year, one in the fall and the other in the spring. Chamber music concerts are offered occasionally.
As a marching band, LGBAC marches in a wide variety of events, predominantly but not limited to gay pride
marches, July 4 parades, and the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. The marching band includes a featured baton twirler, ballet dancers, color guard
and honor guard
.
Community band
A community band is a concert band ensemble, generally sponsored by the town or city in which it is located and consisting primarily of amateur performers...
based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Founded on September 24, 1979 as the New York Gay Community Marching Band, LGBAC is the third-oldest community band in the United States dedicated to serving the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community. The mission of LGBAC is to provide the lesbian and gay community with a supportive and friendly environment for musical and artistic expression and, through performance, to promote social acceptance, equality, and harmony for all. Membership is all-inclusive, predominantly lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
, and queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
, and the band welcomes heterosexual players as well. The band performs year-round as both a concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
and a marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
.
As a concert band, LGBAC traditionally produces two concerts each year, one in the fall and the other in the spring. Chamber music concerts are offered occasionally.
As a marching band, LGBAC marches in a wide variety of events, predominantly but not limited to gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
marches, July 4 parades, and the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. The marching band includes a featured baton twirler, ballet dancers, color guard
Color guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
and honor guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
.
See also
- San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom BandSan Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom BandThe San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band is a community-based concert and marching band in San Francisco. It is the official band of San Francisco. Founded in 1978, it was the first gay-oriented musical organization in the world. The band promotes visibility and musical education for the Bay...
- Freedom Band of Los AngelesFreedom Band of Los AngelesThe mission of the Freedom Band of Los Angeles is to bring together the diverse communities of Southern California through education, rehearsal and performance of music and other performing arts – and to provide a rewarding experience for members...
- Pride of Indy Band and Color GuardPride of Indy Band and Color GuardThe Pride of Indy Band and Color Guard is a performing musical ensemble in Indianapolis of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other LGBT-friendly musicians. Founded in March 2005, The Pride of Indy Band and Color Guard is currently the only LGBT instrumental and pageantry ensemble in Indiana...
- Queer Urban Orchestra