Community Music Center launches New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus a community chorus for people self-identified as transgender, intersex, and genderqueer
Free community chorus for Bay Area transgender, intersex, and genderqueer
community now a reality in the Bay Area
Contact:
Anne C. Mitchell, Marketing Manager
415-647-6015 x75, amitchell@sfcmc.org
For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2018 – When Reuben Zellman, musical director and educator decided to make his dream of starting a community chorus for the transgender, intersex, and genderqueer community a reality, he thought of Community Music Center.
“When I was looking for a Bay Area music organization whose mission was musical access for all people, I naturally thought of CMC.” Zellman commented. “As a transgender singer and conductor, I have experienced first-hand the barriers that TIGQ face to musical participation. Singers tend to be rigidly and often thoughtlessly sorted by sex. Yet TIGQ vocal stories are often more complex.”
When Zellman approached CMC Program Director Sylvia Sherman two years ago to explore the possibility of starting the chorus, she was taken with the idea.
“Musical access is the core of CMC programs. When Reuben brought us the idea we immediately understood the need. Funding, as will any new program, was the hurdle to getting the chorus going,” said Sherman.
Over the course of two years, CMC worked to secure funding for the chorus pilot. Through the generous support of the individual donors and Ambassador James C. Hormel, the New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus was born.
New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus as a pilot program of Community Music Center, launches on Sunday, September 16. The chorus will meet weekly, with Zellman as the Director. Registration for the chorus opens August 7. The entire range of the TIGQ community is invited to participate—all gender expressions and any stage of a physical transition or non-transition. The chorus is for all levels of singers.
“Community Music Center’s intention is to create a great choral ensemble and to provide a safe, creative space for transgender, intersex and genderqueer singers to make music, learn, and create community together,” said CMC Executive Director Julie Rulyak Steinberg about the launch of the pilot program.
Link to chorus: https://sfcmc.org/new-voices-bay-area-tigq-chorus/
Photo: New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus
Available interviews:
Reuben Zellman, New Voices Bay Area:TIGQ Chorus Director
Sylvia Sherman, CMC Program Director
Julie Rulyak Steinberg, Executive Director
Founded in 1921, San Francisco’s Community Music Center (CMC) is one of the oldest and largest community arts organizations on the West Coast. CMC makes high quality music accessible to all people, regardless of financial means. Last year, CMC awarded over $2 million in tuition assistance, serving more than 2,600 students of all ages, ethnicities and income levels with music lessons, classes and other programs. Thousands enjoyed performances at CMC and out in the community. Learn more about CMC at www.sfcmc.org and follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.