As annual Pride Month festivities commence all across the nation, we are honored to spotlight the pride coming from our own CMC community. We connected with Cal Lerchi, who has been a singer in the New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus—a tuition-free mixed-voice choral ensemble for singers who self-identify as transgender, intersex, or gender-queer (TIGQ)—since 2023. Cal shared how their experience in the chorus brings them joy, expression, and community through music-making.
Music has been a source of happiness in Cal’s life since they were young. “As a kid, I was always singing musicals,” they reminisce. “In elementary school, I got in trouble for staying up past my bedtime because I was listening to the soundtrack of Grease the musical on a CD under my bed-covers. I also played the clarinet for nine years.” When they found the choir as an adult, there was no hesitation in joining because of the joy they knew singing brought them. “I always feel a deep sense of joy when singing with my trans friends–regardless of whether it’s a rehearsal or performance. There is magic and love in the air when we raise our voices and sing together as a choir.”
Through the support and care of the Co-Directors Reuben Zellman and Jessalynn Levine, everyone in the group is able to feel like they belong in their shared musical community. “I love that the directors both have lived experience as professional musicians who are trans. I look up to both Jess and Reuben because of how they create an inclusive and welcoming community in the choir. They are both immensely skilled musicians who go out of their way to make sure everyone feels welcome. The space never feels competitive or judgmental—just a place to be with community and sing joyfully together.”
Not only does this essential experience of community and collaborative creativity radiate through rehearsals and performances, but creates ripples of positive change beyond the music and affects other facets of singers’ personal lives. “I love how we have one shared identity as trans folks, but that means such infinitely different things for different people. People enter the group with such diverse intersectional identities and it’s such a gift to be able to learn and grow and sing with everyone!” Cal explains how the unique opportunity of bringing together singers of all levels, backgrounds, and ages also contributes to the sharing of experience. “I love how wide the age range is. In my daily life, I tend to be primarily around people in their 20s or 30s, but this choir has a full age range of adults. There are people who are married with families and kids and also older people who have a full life of experience that they are eager to share with younger people.”
“The choir has made me into a more confident person and has helped me to extend my love in all directions,” Cal shares. “I am a case manager at a transgender transition-age permanent supportive housing site in San Francisco for formerly homeless trans young folks. Given the horrible current political climate, this job can feel like it’s draining everything out of me at times. In spite of all of that, I feel like I can always count on being around my choir community to raise me up.”
This powerful magic and love doesn’t just affect those within the ensemble, it shines like a beacon and spreads to everyone who hears them perform. Cal recalls a particular moment that they learned how impactful the display of self-expression and community was for others to witness as well, at a performance of the Bayview District 10 Pride celebration last year:
“It was a really sweet local community event and the perfect sunny day for singing outside. After the performance, an older woman approached one of our choir members and told them: ‘I am a grandmother and I have a grandchild who is very young and recently came out as trans. I used to feel very worried about their future, but after hearing all of you singing together today, I know they will be ok.’ The next choir rehearsal when we were reflecting on the performance and my fellow choir-member recounted that story, just about all of us cried tears of joy and grief and all those other feelings together in the rehearsal hall. The trans choir is such a cathartic space and I am so thankful [for it].”
It’s now more than ever that these moments have the most impact within our communities. As political administrations and lawmakers aim to vilify marginalized groups and silence their voices, the simple act of singing together becomes more powerful, life-affirming, and healing than imagined. “The government and society try to tell us that trans people are horrible or disgusting or harmful, but when singing with the New Voices Bay Area choir, it is abundantly obvious that we are all beautiful and composed fully of love.”
Be sure to catch Cal and New Voices Bay Area performing all over San Francisco this Pride month!
Enjoy a movie screening of Frameline’s 49th Annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, where the chorus will sing music in celebration of queer arts and storytelling, performing before films on 2 days spotlighting queer and trans struggles, joys, creativity and resilience from the opera stage to the Supreme Court to the and beyond.
Friday, June 20 at Toni Rembe Theater
“Heightened Scrutiny” – documenting the current political climate, trans ACLU attorney Chase Strangio fights to overturn ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.
Learn More
Sunday, June 22 at Vogue Theater
“Tessitura” and “Really Happy Someday” – music as a tool for discovering identity and expression, and the challenges of navigating the art form of traditional opera as a transgender vocalist.
Learn More
Friday, June 27 at Trans March
NVBA singers will sing while marching from Dolores Park to Taylor St.