Please join Out Loud this Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for "Ringing Out! Singing Out!" in Colorado Springs!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Out Loud dress rehearsal photos
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!
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!
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
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!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Home on the Ranch
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
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
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
KGNU Outsources interview
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!
Monday, December 1, 2008
This is Why We Sing
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.
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.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
What Mosaic Youth Chorus Means to Cory
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Bambelela: Never Give Up!
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!
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!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
"Join the Impact" Rally
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.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Welcome!
Welcome to the official blog for Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA)!
Rocky Mountain Arts Association currently includes four Colorado choruses:
Rocky Mountain Arts Association currently includes four Colorado choruses:
- Denver Gay Men's Chorus (DGMC)
- Denver Women's Chorus (DWC)
- Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men's Chorus
- Mosaic Youth Chorus
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