The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses ("GALA Choruses") is an international association of LGBT choruses founded in 1982. In its inaugural performance 14 choruses performed together in September 1982 in San Francisco as part of the first Gay Games. It aims to foster artistic and organizational development within its member choruses. The association includes almost 10,000 vocalists in over 100 associated choruses singing as male, female and mixed ensembles in a wide variety of styles. GALA Choruses produces a large festival every four years, in addition to a number of smaller annual workshops and conferences.
Artistic and business directors of the choruses then in existence envisioned both the San Francisco and New York City events at the first planning meeting in Chicago, Illinois (15–17 May 1981) that set the course for the official founding of GALA Choruses.
1982 - San Francisco, California[1]1983 - New York, New York[2]1986 - Minneapolis, Minnesota[3]1989 - Seattle, Washington - about 2,500 delegates[4]1992 - Denver, Colorado - over 3,400 delegates1996 - Tampa, Florida - over 4,700 delegates2000 - San Jose, California - over 4,700 delegates2004 - Place des Arts, Montreal, Quebec - over 5,700 delegates2008 - Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami, Florida2012 - Denver Performing Arts Complex, Denver, Colorado - over 6,000 delegates2016 - Denver Performing Arts Complex, Denver, Colorado2020 (scheduled) - Minneapolis, Minnesota- ^ The San Francisco event was called the West Coast Choral Festival. Members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus organized and ran this event as a forerunner to the larger event planned the following year in New York City.
- ^ The New York event was called COAST, which stood for Come Out and Sing Together. It was organized and run by members of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus.
- ^ First GALA festival in which a women's chorus, Denver Women's Chorus, performed
- ^ Out of forty-four choruses, eight were women's choruses; eleven were mixed choruses
The following member choruses attended the latest festival in Denver, Colorado.
A Company of StrangersArizona Women in Tune, now Phoenix Women's ChorusAnna Crusis Women's ChoirAnother Octave: Connecticut Women's ChorusAtlanta Gay Men's ChorusAtlanta Women's ChorusBarberEllas - Calgary, AB, CanadaBayou City Women's ChorusBeijing Queer Chorus - Beijing, ChinaBoise Men's ChorusBoston Gay Men's ChorusBridging Voices - Portland, ORCalgary Men's ChorusCalliope Women's Chorus - St. Paul, MNCapital City Men's Chorus - Austin, TXCentral PA Womyn's Chorus - Harrisburg, PACHARIS - The St. Louis Women's ChorusChicago Gay Men's ChorusCincinnati Men's ChorusCity of Festivals Men's Chorus - Milwaukee, WIColorado Trans Community Choir and Arts CollectiveColumbus Gay Men's ChorusCommon Woman Chorus - Durham, NCConfluence: Willamette Valley LGBT Chorus - Salem, ORConnecticut Gay Men's ChorusCoro Allegro - Boston, MACouncil Oak Men's Chorale - Tulsa OKDayton Gay Men's ChorusDenver Gay Men's ChorusDenver Women's ChorusDes Moines Gay Men's ChorusDesert Voices - Tucson AZDiverse City Youth Chorus - Cincinnati, OHDiverse Harmony Youth ChorusDreams of Hope Pittsburgh PA - for LGBTQ and allied youthGateway Men's ChorusGay Men's Chorus of Los AngelesGay Men's Chorus of San DiegoGay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.Golden Gate Men's Chorus - San Francisco, CAHarmony: a Colorado chorale - Denver, COHeartland Men's Chorus - Kansas City, MOHarrisburg Gay Men's Chorus - Harrisburg, PAInsignia (Ensemble of the Miami Gay Men's Chorus)Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San FranciscoMen Alive - Orange County Gay Men's ChorusMiami Gay Men's ChorusThe New Wave Singers of BaltimoreNew York City Gay Men's ChorusNew Orleans Gay Men's ChorusOakland-East Bay Gay Men's ChorusOne Voice Mixed Chorus - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MNOrlando Gay ChorusOurSong: The Atlanta Gay And Lesbian ChorusOut Loud Chorus - Ann Arbor, MIPhiladelphia Gay Men's ChorusPhoenix Metropolitan Men's ChorusPhoenix Women's ChorusPortland Gay Men's ChorusPortland Lesbian Choir - Portland, OrProvidence Gay Men's ChorusRainbow Chorale of DelawareRainbow Women's ChorusRainy City Gay Men's ChorusResonance Women's Chorus of Boulder - Boulder, COReveille Men's Chorus - Tucson AZRichmond Men's Chorus - Richmond, VASacramento Gay Men's ChorusSacramento Women's ChorusSan Diego Men's ChorusSan Diego Women's ChorusSan Francisco Gay Men's ChorusSeattle Men's ChorusSine Nomine - Denver, COSinging OUT! The Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Toronto - Toronto, ON (Canada)Sound Circle - Boulder, COTone Cluster - Ottawa, CanadaTriad Pride Men's Chorus - Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, NCTriangle Gay Men's Chorus - Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NCTurtle Creek Chorale - Dallas, TXTwin Cities Gay Men's Chorus - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MNUna Voce: The Florida Men's Chorale - Tampa, FLVancouver Men's ChorusVoices Rising - Boston, MAVoices of Kentuckiana - Louisville, KYChronology of gay choirs in Australia and New Zealand
Gay Liberation Quire (men's), Sydney (1981-1987)Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Chorus, founded 1990Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir, founded 1991Gay & Lesbian Singers (GALS) Auckland, founded 1992Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire, founded 1993Gay and Lesbian Singers of Western Australia (GALSWA), founded 1993Adelaide Gay & Lesbian Singers (1996 - 1999)Brisbane Pride Chorus, founded 1998Adelaide Gay & Lesbian Qwire, founded 2001Melbourne Gay & Lesbian Youth Chorus, founded 2005Cairns Out Loud Lesbian & Gay Choir, founded 2007Homophones, gay men's chorus in Wellington (2007-2011)LOW REZ Melbourne Male Choir, founded 2008Glamaphones (mixed chorus), Wellington, founded 2011QTas - Tasmania's LGBTIQ Choir, founded 2013
