The Stonewall Chorale Celebrates 50 Years with Landmark Season
News related to:The Stonewall Chorale · 2 min read
The Stonewall Chorale, the nation's first LGBTQIA+ choir, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a landmark season that promises to honor the past while embracing the future. Founded in 1977, the ensemble has built a legacy of amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices through a dynamic and diverse choral repertoire and community connection.
Under the leadership of newly appointed Artistic Director Nick Sienkiewicz, the 2026-2027 season will feature three distinctive concert programs, a new three-year composer residency, and a creative partnership with Heartbeat Opera. This season, titled "LOVE OUT LOUD," will explore the many facets of love, from endurance and remembrance to joy and collective expression.
The season kicks off on December 5, 2026, with "Love Endures," a vibrant celebration of love and connection. The program will feature an eclectic mix of choral and popular music, including works by Carlos Cordero, Christian Velasquez, Susan LaBarr, Rina Sawayama, Nancy Wilson, and Madonna. The centerpiece of the concert will be Christopher Tin's "Transfigurations," which explores love's capacity to transcend boundaries and transform lives.
In March 2027, the Chorale will present "Considering Matthew Shepard," a profoundly moving contemporary oratorio reflecting on the life, death, and legacy of Matthew Shepard. Composed by Craig Hella Johnson, the work will explore grief, compassion, remembrance, and the transformative possibilities of collective action and unconditional love.
The season concludes on June 5, 2027, with a spectacular anniversary performance of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana," presented in collaboration with the Queer Big Apple Corps. This thrilling finale will celebrate the Chorale's 50-year legacy and the generations of singers, audiences, and supporters who have made it possible.
In a significant investment in its artistic future, The Stonewall Chorale has named acclaimed composer and lyricist Jake Landau as its inaugural Composer-in-Residence. The new three-year residency will bring original music into the Chorale's repertoire while supporting the development of contemporary choral works that reflect LGBTQIA+ experiences and perspectives. Landau will compose a new work specifically for The Stonewall Chorale each year of the residency, collaborating closely with Sienkiewicz and the ensemble's singers. The Chorale will also perform selections from his existing body of work.
The partnership reflects a growing commitment to artistic experimentation, LGBTQIA+ expression, and introducing the Chorale to new audiences.
Beyond the concert stage, the Chorale is strengthening its community engagement through performances for older adult audiences at SAGE and Hudson Guild. Featuring selections from its December and March programs, these performances will bring the Chorale's music directly into community spaces, extending its longstanding commitment to connection, inclusion, and the power of music to bring people together.
With a new Artistic Director, the launch of its first Composer-in-Residence program, innovative partnerships, and expanded community engagement, The Stonewall Chorale's 50th anniversary will be both a celebration and a beginning.