Rocky Mountain Arts Association Blog

DGMC & Out Loud at Christ Church, June 14

2009-06-11T12:14:00.005-06:00

This Sunday, June 14, members from the Denver Gay Men's Chorus & Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus will be presenting musical excerpts from their upcoming concert, "Songs of our Families" in the 10:15 a.m. worship service at Christ Church United Methodist (690 Colorado Blvd., at 7th Ave.) Please join us in worship to hear portions of a unique new musical work which challenges us to broaden our perception of "family values."

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus and Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus combine voices for the first time to perform a very special concert, "Songs of our Families." The centerpiece work is the Colorado premiere of This House Shall Stand: Songs of My Family -- a unique choral work which explores themes in the lives of GLBT families with soaring melodies and beautiful, touching lyrics.

Denver Performance at 3:00pm - June 21st Only
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
1980 Dahlia St

Colorado Springs Performance at 7:30pm - June 20th Only
First United Methodist Church
420 North Nevada Ave

A 45-minute song cycle for men's chorus and chamber orchestra, This House Shall Stand: Songs of My Family is a collection of actual stories about GLBT families from around the country set to music by Portland-based composer Robert Seeley and lyricist Robert Espindola. With the pressing issue of gay marriage rights in the forefront of the national political arena, the performance of this important musical work is more relevant now than ever. The "Songs of our Families" concert will also mark the first major performance of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus in the city of Colorado Springs.

''The inspiration came from stories from all over the country,'' shares composer Robert Seeley. ''Teenage kids to elderly folks -- it ran the gamut of family in the new millennium, how it can be defined. And we ran with it. Particularly moving was a girl whose father was gay, but who had kind of lost himself living in the closet so long. But he found a partner...and became the father she hoped he would become, through that happiness. He became a completely loving partner and individual.''

Advance tickets available online at www.rmarts.org, at Wild Flowers in Denver and Poor Richard's Bookstore in Colorado Springs.

Denver - Adults: $22 advance, $24 at door; Adults 55+: $20 advance, $22 at door; Students 13-2:1 $16 advance, $18 at door. Colorado Springs - Adults: $20 advance, $22 at door; Adults 55+: $18 advance, $20 at door; Students 13-21: $16 advance, $18 at door. Children 12 and under are always free.

DGMC @ Regis University this Sunday

2009-04-17T11:18:00.003-06:00

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus Ambassadors small ensemble will be performing this Sunday, April 19, 4:30 p.m. at the Regis University Chapel. The Ambassadors will be opening a program that features guest speaker Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard. The program is free and open to the public.

Montview Blvd Presbyterian: Transformed!

2009-04-02T11:08:00.005-06:00

Here is a sneak peek of what our audiences will be viewing in person this Friday & Saturday nights at the Denver Gay Men's Chorus concert, "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock N Roll." Our production committee has outdone itself with this unbelievable transformation of Montview Blvd Presbyterian Church into the fabulous Paradise Theatre!

DGMC @ Denver Public Library this Sunday!

2009-03-21T14:53:00.003-06:00

Join the Denver Gay Men's Chorus this Sunday, March 22 at 2:oo p.m. as they perform selections from their upcoming spring concert, "A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock 'N Roll" at the main branch of the Denver Public Library (Broadway & 13th Avenue).

The 45-minute concert is FREE and open to the public!

DGMC @ Montview this Sunday!

2009-03-06T18:28:00.006-07:00

The Denver Gay Men's Chorus will be singing in the 11:00 a.m. worship service at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church this Sunday, March 8. Please join us at Montview this Sunday morning to hear the DGMC perform a rousing arrangement of the African American spiritual, "Sinner Man," as well as a setting of "Salaam Aleikum" from Ghana and "Ameni" from South Africa.

Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church is located at 1980 Dahlia St. in Denver.

RMAA and SmokeFree GLBT Collaboration

2009-03-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

MEDIA RELEASE
March 3, 2009

Rocky Mountain Arts Association and SmokeFree GLBT Team Up to Reach Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Smokers in Colorado

Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) and The GLBT Community Center of Colorado’s project, SmokeFree GLBT, are joining together for an innovative collaboration to educate Colorado’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community about tobacco prevention and cessation.

SmokeFree GLBT staff will train over 200 RMAA chorus members about tobacco and its impact on the GLBT community. The choruses include the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, Denver Women’s Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus and Mosaic Youth Chorus. The training will include information about the high rate of smoking in the GLBT population and how tobacco companies target them, the impact of secondhand smoke, quit tips for smokers, and insight for friends and family members on how to talk to the smokers in their lives. Additionally, SmokeFree GLBT will offer RMAA a tobacco cessation class specifically designed for chorus members.

SmokeFree GLBT will have resource tables at all RMAA spring concerts and information about tobacco prevention and cessation in all RMAA spring programs. During the concerts, a RMAA chorus member who is a former smoker will share his story about quitting tobacco.

“We believe this project -- a GLBT tobacco prevention and cessation program working with GLBT choruses – is the first of its kind in the nation,” stated Cathy Busha, SmokeFree GLBT Project Director. “We are very excited about this creative partnership.”

Will Adams, Executive Director of RMAA, agrees. “This collaboration is a perfect fit with RMAA’s mission. The members of Rocky Mountain Arts Association provide educational, cultural and social enrichment for our audiences and ourselves. We actively strive to make a positive contribution to the entire community. Given the alarmingly high rates of tobacco use in the GLBT community, we are excited to partner with The Center to help build a healthy community both within RMAA for our members and for our audience.”

“From an artistic standpoint, singers shouldn’t smoke. The biggest effect of smoking on the singing voice is a drastic loss of lung capacity. We want our chorus members to perform at their full potential,” says RMAA Executive Artistic Director Ben Riggs.

SmokeFree GLBT is a statewide tobacco prevention and cessation project that is supported by the State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP). Eliminating tobacco-related health disparities is a priority for STEPP’s Tobacco Disparities Initiative.

“Research shows that the GLBT community’s smoking rate is about twice that of the heterosexual/non-transgender population,” said Busha. “We believe this ground-breaking project will bring vital information and resources directly to the GLBT community, who is disproportionately impacted by tobacco. Our ultimate goal is to prevent and significantly reduce tobacco use by Colorado’s GLBT community.”

Rocky Mountain Arts Association builds community through music through four community choruses: the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, Denver Women’s Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus and Mosaic Youth Chorus.

The mission of The GLBT Community Center of Colorado is to engage, empower, enrich, and advance the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community of Colorado.

For more information:

Cathy Busha, SmokeFree GLBT Project Director
cbusha@glbtcolorado.org
303-733-7743 x102

SmokeFree GLBT website: http://www.glbtcolorado.org/renderContent.aspx?contentId=35

Rocky Mountain Arts Association: http://www.rmarts.org/

State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership Disparities Initiative: http://www.steppcolorado.com/ProjectArea2.aspx?Project=D

Out Loud dress rehearsal photos

2008-12-18T23:55:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure to attend the Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus dress rehearsal tonight for their "Ringing Out! Singing Out!" concerts. These talented singers have prepared a great concert for everyone — their very first holiday concert, replete with fantastic singing, familiar songs, and some fabulous surprises (see the photos below for a few clues!)

Please join Out Loud this Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for "Ringing Out! Singing Out!" in Colorado Springs!

Out Loud concerts this weekend!

2008-12-18T18:35:00.003-07:00

Please join Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus as we "Celebrate the Season" with three holiday concerts in December! On December 19 and 20 we will perform at First United Methodist Church at 7:30pm, 420 N Nevada Ave in Colorado Springs. On December 21 we will perform a very special concert in Pueblo at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center at 4pm, 210 N Santa Fe. Not only are these our first-ever holiday concerts, but also our first time performing in Pueblo.

Tickets to the Colorado Springs concerts are $15 for adults and $12 for students 13-18 and all Colorado College students, in advance, with NO service charges. Day-of-show prices are $17 for adults and $14 for students 13-18 and all Colorado College students. All tickets to the Pueblo concert are $10. Children 12 and under are always free.

Purchase tickets online or visit and support our two retail partners: Poor Richard's Bookstore on N Tejon St in Colorado Springs and Wild Flowers at 12th and Madison in Denver.

We look forward to seeing and celebrating the season with you! Thank you for your support of the Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus and Rocky Mountain Arts Association!

Please call 866-862-9382 for more information.

Note: Tickets for the Pueblo concert only can also be purchased at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center box office from 9 - 5 Monday—Friday and 9 - 4 on Saturday. Call the box office at 719-295-7222 with questions.

Take Note! Concerts this weekend

2008-12-18T18:33:00.001-07:00

Please join Take Note!, the Denver Women's Chorus Small Ensemble, as we Celebrate the Season with two holiday concerts in December. We are excited to welcome to our annual Holiday concert the youth from Mosaic Youth Chorus. Our "Home for the Holidays" concerts are December 20 at 7:30 p.m. and December 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Christ Church in Denver.

Tickets to all shows are $10 for adults and students 13-18, in advance, with NO service charges. Day-of-show price is $12. Children 12 and under are free. Purchase tickets online at www.rmarts.org or visit and support our two retail partners: Wild Flowers at 12th and Madison in Denver or Poor Richard's Bookstore on N Tejon St in Colorado Springs.

Free tickets are available for youth 14-20 interested in seeing Mosaic Youth Chorus. Contact us via our website for instructions.

We look forward to seeing and celebrating the season with you! Thank you for your support of the Denver Women's Chorus and Rocky Mountain Arts Association!

Home on the Ranch

2008-12-04T22:39:00.002-07:00

Dear DWC, Out Loud and DGMC Members,

It's 4:30am on Thursday and I can't sleep. Lots to do and I am in that overwhelmed yet in control state. Good thing it's Thursday though. That means it is Mosaic rehearsal day, one of the highlights of my week, each week, since August 2007. I was awoken suddenly with the thought that potentially no one has said anything to you all, really, about why DGMC is singing in Highlands Ranch on Sunday, and that freaked me out because this is such a huge deal for us and to have forgotten to share with you is not good. Sure the space is great, and free. But there is more. Way more. Please read on...

When we were preparing to launch Mosaic Youth Chorus in 2007 we made some assumptions based on the results from the feasibility study we had done about many aspects of what to expect as we started. We also made a lot of assumptions based on our own thoughts and expectations, some not good. The one I think back to the most is how we tried to set expectations about where Mosaic's members would come from. We assumed central Denver, maybe Aurora, and that is about it. We assumed we would struggle to find kids from, say, Littleton or Arvada. Highlands Ranch kids did not even cross our minds at that early stage. Well, we were so wrong.

Of Mosaic's 16 founding members, 0 live in central Denver, 3 Arvada, 2 Wheatridge, 2 Aurora and 1 Centennial. The remaining 8? Highlands Ranch. Freaked me out. And, these kids for the most part were out of the closet, loudly, about either being GLBTQQ, or proud of their GLBTQQ friends. And, with the exception of a few crisis here and there, most of the parents/guardians/families of these kids were proud and accepting of their queer kids. As the chorus grew in its first year to about 30 members on the books we started to get kids from other towns, but still more from Highlands Ranch.

So with the help of the kids, we learned how to say things like "are you going back to the Ranch before you go to such and such" and "we're from the bubble" of protection, etc. etc. Well, I started to build a totally new appreciation for Douglas County. Here is a county that borders El Paso (Colorado Springs) and we have 8+ of their finest youth up in Denver singing in a queer chorus with their parents/guardians/units supporting them in different ways. Initially, Cory and I were thinking that we needed to get Mosaic into the county to perform, fast.

Well then Ben and I started talking about Boulder and should DGMC have a holiday concert there this year after years of crappy attendance. Then I was writing the SCFD Denver County grant in February. Then I started looking at other SCFD county grant deadlines and, WHAM, it hit me. Douglas County is SCFD funded, RMAA is already SCFD funded, their deadline was two months away, same application, all these kids from the Ranch......a new gay men's chorus in Colorado Springs, a 26 year old gay men's chorus in Denver? Exactly. DGMC is going to the Ranch, no questions asked. I applied for project support for the concert from Douglas County SCFD. I went to Castle Rock to our interview with the council, not sure what to expect. I stood at the podium and told RMAA's story about "the gay word" from 1982, Out Loud's 950 audience members at their premier in April 2006 following a front page article with big-ass picture above-the-fold in The Gazette, and, of Mosaic and the kids from the Ranch, and about the incredible adult support system they had, and (run on) how pleasantly surprised we were about our new county "discovery."

Folks, they loved us. I'm not kidding. Within 24 hours Deb Pollock ran into Jane Potts, our SCFD liaison in Denver, who asked Deb if she had heard what happened in Douglas County. What? Did I make a scene? No, the Council agreed that afternoon, unanimously, to fund DGMC's Ranch concert. Of course this was inside info so I could not sell stock yet. I had to wait a month for the unofficial announcement. I went back to Castle Rock in October for the check award ceremony and stood in front of the Douglas County Commissioners and was thanked. Not just a thanks-here's-your-check-go-away thanks, but a twinkle in the eye, serious, this is a big deal for us kind of thanks.

So I am rambling, need coffee and have a headache. My point here though is that we have to sell the hell out of this concert on Sunday. Not because we need the money. Not because we need our members to sell more tickets. Not because sales are down overall for nonprofits. Not because of any of that crap.

We need to sell the hell out of this concert because we CAN. DGMC and Mosaic are performing at a massive church in Highlands Ranch. In 27 years DGMC has never set foot via a major concert in the Ranch. Everyone makes fun of Highlands Ranch sprawl and what-not. Half of our original Mosaic kids are from the County. They are OUT at school. One is our state's national rep for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). They have more tattoos and piercings then anyone I have ever seen. And they have these incredible, supportive parents.

And Douglas County SCFD asked us to come.

Please. Do it for these kids and the many, many others that are also out and proud in the Ranch that we don't know about. Do it for the hundreds that are not out and are scared to death. If you have any contacts that have never heard one of our choruses, or who live in the Bubble, or that you have kind of been thinking about coming out to about singing in a gay chorus, do it NOW. Please. Out Loud, we need your help too.

You'll never feel the same about Douglas County again, I promise.

See you all on Sunday, and thanks.

Will

KGNU Outsources interview

2008-12-02T11:18:00.005-07:00

Last night I was interviewed by Norman Strizek for KGNU's "OutSources" program — we talked about the various choruses of Rocky Mountain Arts Association, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and our positive relationship with local churches, and the upcoming DGMC holiday concerts, "Peace! Love! Joy!"

You can listen to the interview by clicking here!

This is Why We Sing

2008-12-01T16:50:00.002-07:00

From Mosaic Youth Chorus Member One, 12:54am, 12/1/08:

i am sick and tired of being gay.
flat out exhausted.

I am tired of fighting- for acceptance, education, and equality under law.
I am tired of the stigma of being gay.
I am tired of being afraid of running into the wrong person and getting hurt for something I don't have control of.
I am tired of searching for the perfect guy, when I can hardly find gay guys in general.
I am tired of this constant struggle for identity- I do not want to be the resident gay. I want to be Dominic.
I am tired of being lumped up and equated to effeminate and flamboyant.
I am tired of being 'proud.'I am tired of waking up every day and realizing that I have to do it again. and again. and again andagainandagainandagain.

I would try so hard to change if I thought it were possible.

From Mosaic Youth Chorus Member Two, 3:57pm 12/1/08:

You just make your persona about what's uniquely "you". People can't stereotype you as a "typical" gay if their own eyes are telling them you aren't. People generally only focus on what you choose to emphasize; and that doesn't mean crawling back into the closet, it just means showing people what you want them to see. For instance, I'm the only out gay guy in my entire program in my school, but in no way am I the token gay; I'm the opinionated, intelligent, socially liberal, economically superconservative, argumentative occasional douche who nonetheless gets the job done (oh, and who crosses his legs, acts, and sings). If people wanted to see me as a flaming, raging homo, their own experience with me would contradict it.

Again, I'm not trying to be an asshole, I don't really have the energy for it right now, but it's always seemed to me that people who are only known for one thing only present that one thing to their peers.

What Mosaic Youth Chorus Means to Cory

2008-11-20T11:44:00.002-07:00

From Mosaic Youth Chorus president Cory Barrett:
I wanted to take a minute and share with you all the joy that I experienced last week at rehearsal. It was our largest dinner and rehearsal attendance this season. My heart was truly full to see 17 youth and 5 adults eating, talking and laughing together. It renewed my faith that we can and do provide a safe space and loving environment for young people to gather and be themselves. The world that we live in certainly has its share of pain and disappoint that all of us experience from time to time. But when we all gather, whether it be for rehearsal or parties or concerts, we enter into a world that tells us that we do matter, are loved, and deserve to be lifted up, not torn down. I long for us to have many more gatherings like this in the future, and consistently increasing in size. I hope that those that we have not seen for some time will make their way back to us so that we may wrap them in our arms and say welcome home and back to the family. Everyone desires to have those moments in their lives consistently. I hope that you all know how much you capture me. Regardless of how long of a day or week I have had and all that comes with that, I strive to make it to our next gathering to share that time of joy once again. You all have been introducing new people to the chorus and that has been wonderful. Recall the joy that you have experienced as a member of Mosaic Youth Chorus. Others deserve to experience that as well.

Peace! Love! Joy! with the Denver Gay Men's Chorus

2008-11-18T14:13:00.003-07:00

Bambelela: Never Give Up!

2008-11-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Video from last Saturday's Join the Impact Rally in Denver, featuring members from Denver Gay Men's Chorus, Denver Women's Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus!

See additional video here, here, & here. Thank you to all the rally attendees who posted so many great videos of the choruses of Rocky Mountain Arts Association!

More Rally photos

2008-11-17T11:15:00.001-07:00

"Join the Impact" Rally

2008-11-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

This morning members of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, Denver Women's Chorus, Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus joined together to perform at the "Join the Impact" Rally on the steps of Denver's City & County Building. About 60 Rocky Mountain Arts Association singers performed "Bambelela (Never Give Up)" for the roaring, appreciative crowd gathered to protest the passing of Prop 8 in California.

Welcome!

2008-11-13T13:06:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the official blog for Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA)!

Rocky Mountain Arts Association currently includes four Colorado choruses:

We are proud members of GALA Choruses (Gay & Lesbian Association of Choruses).