New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus Seeks Director

by Amy Winter

Published in The New Mexico Voice, July 2007

The New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus is searching for a new director following the resignation this past spring of their prior director, Paul Barrientos. Charles Moore, president of the Chorus, says that the new director’s most important attribute will be the ability to pursue choral excellence. Also critical is leadership which highlights gayness and helps the group express its fun, exciting side to audiences. It is hoped that the new director will also help unite the group and serve as the face of the Chorus.

To date, eight candidates have been chosen for consideration; they will be interviewed beginning on July 20, with a final decision to be made by July 27. Finalists will be asked to prepare a piece of music and lead the Chorus through it, so that the members can have the opportunity to experience the directorial style of each candidate.

One important task to be faced by the new director is to lead the group to Gala 2008 in Miami. This major gathering of choruses from around the world—not just gay men’s choruses, but also women’s choruses, transgender choruses, gay-lesbian and gay-straight alliance choruses—takes place every four years for 2-3 weeks of nonstop gay music. At the Gala in Montreal in 2004, the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus performed in a 3000-seat concert hall to sold-out audiences. During the gala, the choruses also take the opportunity to have their annual meeting, and workshops are provided on relevant topics. The Chorus tries to perform pieces that other groups attending the Gala will be unlikely to select, and the new director will play a major role in keeping the Chorus’ repertoire unique.

The New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus is currently in its 26th season. In keeping with its mission of reaching out to and inspiring the community through music, the Chorus performs all types of music, from classical to modern. The group is hoping to concentrate more on songs audiences can relate to, while still striving to evoke diverse emotions in their listeners. Their goal is for audience members to walk away saying to themselves, “I had a lot of fun—and they were really good.”

The Chorus performs in many different venues; while they were honored dignitaries opening this year’s Pridefest with the national anthem, they have also performed at school and church events, at baseball games at the Isotopes Park, and the Zia Rodeo. This past spring they performed three concerts jointly with the New Mexico Women’s Chorus. Their new fall season begins on August 20 and includes one concert in Santa Fe and two concerts in Albuquerque, as well as repeat performances at the Zia Rodeo and Isotopes Park.

Membership in the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus is open to all men, and more information can be found on their website at www.nmgmc.org.