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Boston Gay Men's CHorus hires Craig Coogan as executive Director
The Boston Gay Men's Chorus has appointed Craig B. Coogan as its Executive Director. Coogan will begin his tenure with the BGMC on
October 1, 2012.
Coogan is currently serving as the first full-time Executive Director at One Voice Mixed Chorus in Minnesota. Coogan has a robust expertise in developing strategies and programs to help GLBTQ and other nonprofit organizations achieve their operational and artistic goals. Craig brings experience in both the for-profit and non-profit arenas. He was a founding board member and served for ten years as Treasurer of the acclaimed Women's choral group Vox Femina Los Angeles. He has produced independent movies and several award-winning documentaries and acclaimed original plays.
Coogan is a graduate of Syracuse University and a native of Southborough, Massachusetts. The BGMC is thrilled to welcome him home to Boston.
Since June of 2011, the Chorus has been led by John Strumwasser, a founding member of the Chorus, who has assumed the role of Interim Executive Director following the departure of Steven Smith, who joined the Revels, Inc. in February of 2011 after 16 years with the BGMC.
boston gay men's chorus donates 200 tickets to high schools
Boston Gay Men's Chorus will give away a total of 200 free tickets for high school students for the BGMC's performances of "True Colors" on March 26 at 8pm and March 27 at 8pm. The 150 members of the BGMC have committed to supporting our teens and everyone who has been affected by bullying and intolerance. To request free tickets, download the form below and return it via fax or US Mail. Forms must be received no later than March 19, 2010.
Boston Theatre Review raves about "Boys Just Wanna Have Fun"
"I took such utter delight in this weekend’s Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Concert, a tribute to the music of the 80’s aptly titled, 'Boys Just Wanna Have Fun'... Their concerts are consistently excellent, their song choices are always timely and clever, the show-choir dances and hilarious skits reinvent themselves year after year, and what they do for the community- uniting generations across tolerance and understanding through music, is something that is truly unmatched in Boston."
Read the full article on Boston Theatre Review .
The Boston Herald reviews "extrABBAganza"
"Is it every gay man’s dream to get all dolled up and belt ABBA tunes to an eager audience?... More than 150 guys revisited the catalog of Sweden’s most profitable musical export - ABBA - in what’s being called the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus 'ExtrABBAganza'... The opening-night performance on this, the eve of Boston’s annual Pride Weekend, brimmed with spirit and enthusiasm... If singing is one of life’s most liberating experiences, then the BGMC more than earned its freedom Thursday night."
Read the full Boston Herald review.
Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Wins Award from Massachusetts Teachers Association for Community Outreach
The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus announced at its annual fundraising gala that it has received the 2008 “Creative Leadership in Human Rights Award” for its High School Outreach Program from the Massachusetts Teachers Association. In addition, the BGMC announced that it has received a $6,000 grant from the American Composers Forum to commission a new piece of music about diversity to be used in High School Outreach concerts.
The announcements were made on Saturday, May 3rd at Crescendo, the BGMC’s annual fundraising event which attracted more than 400 guests to The Roxy Ballroom to support the BGMC’s mission of creating a more tolerant society through the power of music. BGMC Executive Director Steven Smith estimated that the event raised $100,000 for BGMC programs and outreach. At the event, the BGMC also debuted a new 8 minute video documentary about its outreach efforts. The video can be viewed at www.bgmc.org.
At Crescendo, Smith announced that the BGMC had won the human rights award from the Massachusetts Teachers Association. In the award letter, Gladys Durant, chair of the MTA Human Relations Committee, stated “committee members are particularly impressed with the Chorus’s contributions and support for gay and lesbian high school students through the High School Outreach Project. Many have observed the impact the Chorus has had in reducing discriminatory behavior and stereotyping and improving the climate in high schools for gay and lesbian students in Massachusetts.” The BGMC’s High School Outreach program provides free concerts to benefit the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) programs in area schools while bringing the Chorus’s message of diversity and tolerance to school communities.
“We are honored by the MTA’s recognition,” said Steve Smith. “For those of us that grew up and came out without the support of a GSA, it is a gift for us to be able to bring our voices and our support to the next generation of GLBT citizens. We’ve sung at seven high schools so far and at every concert we are amazed at the hard work that students and educators are doing to make schools a safer place for GLBT youth.”
In a related award, the BGMC also received the first Community Partners grant from the American Composers Forum, based in Minneapolis, MN. The Community Partners project was created specifically to support gay or lesbian choruses in expanding their audiences by engaging new voices and exploring new outreach initiatives. The $6000 grant will allow the BGMC to commission an original composition about tolerance and diversity to use in its school outreach programs. As part of the grant process, the American Composers Forum is conducting a national RFP to find a composer for the project. The work is expected to be premiered by the BGMC sometime in 2009.
BGMC Honored by Outmusic Award Nomination
The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus was honored to be a nominee for a national 2006 Outmusic Award in the “OutMusician of the Year” category. OutMusic is a national network of GLBT musicians and supporters working in all genres (www.outmusic.com). The nomination in this prestigious category was selected by an open vote of all OutMusic members and is in response to the BGMC’s historic tour of Europe in June 2005, particularly its news-making performance in Poland as the first openly gay group to ever perform in that country. BGMC was the only non-solo performer nominated in this category.