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Windy City Gay Chorus is WCPA’s tenor/baritone/bass chorus. Founded in October, 1979, WCGC is the oldest gay chorus in Illinois and the Midwest, and one of the first gay choruses organized in the country. Only the San Francisco and New York City Gay Men's Choruses are older, each by a few months. WCGC is a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA). WCGC's first performance was in December of 1979, at the “Don We Now. . .” holiday concert at Stages Music Hall. From the start, Windy City Gay Chorus has always stressed musical excellence in its performances. In 1984, WCGC won first place in the Johnny Mann Great American Choral Festival, the only gay group ever to do so. This competition involved hundreds of choruses and choirs from around the country. Since then, WCGC has given invitational performances at both state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). In 1985, Windy City Gay Chorus became the first openly gay group to perform at Chicago's historic Orchestra Hall.

 

Windy City Gay Chorus has performed in cities throughout the country, and has been lauded by the Illinois House of Representatives, the mayors of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago mayors Richard M. Daley and the late Harold Washington. Mayor Washington proclaimed that Windy City Gay Chorus was "...a unique asset to the cultural life of the city, and a source of pride to its citizens, who are devoted to excellence in the performing arts."

 

The chorus also believes in reaching out to support Chicago’s glbt community and the community at-large by participating in events that bring enjoyment and pride to audiences and members alike. Over the course of WCGC’s history, the chorus has lent their voices to Steppenwolf Theater’s production of Everyman, Redmoon Theater’s production of Sink, Sank, Sunk, participated in Highland Park High School’s FOCUS ON THE ARTS, and presented concerts in support of World AIDS Day in Rockford, Illinois, and Human Rights Campaign’s Out Vote, among many others.

 

WCGC Vision Statement

“Windy City Gay Chorus endeavors to be an exceptional men’s chorus with a reputation for performing outstanding music of a variety of styles. Our music shall entertain, enlighten, uplift, enrich and educate a diverse audience as it reflects the human spirit and experience, particularly the gay experience. We seek to support, empower, represent and challenge the gay and lesbian community as a whole through our excellence in music, our commitment to equality and justice for all people and through the portrayal of our lives.”