London Gay Men's Chorus is a gay

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

that was founded in 1991 by a group of nine

gay men Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual men, bisexual and homoromantic men may dually identify as ''gay'' and a number of gay men also identify as ''queer''. Historic terminology for gay men has included ''Sexual inversion (sexology), in ...

. The group now has around 200 singing members at any one time and over 300 members in total.

Introduction

With a widely varying repertoire from classical music to folk, jazz, pop, R&B or show tunes, and often including choreography, the Chorus's Vision is ‘Everyone Brought Together Through Song’. The LGMC's Mission is to ‘Create, Enable and Connect Confident Voices across Communities with fun, hope, love, joy and fearless allyship’, while the values which guide the charity are “all-in”, “harmony”, “community” and “transformation”. The Chorus operates an open access policy, allowing anyone to join. New members are simply voice-tested and not auditioned when they join the group. The Chorus often rehearses at

Cecil Sharp Cecil James Sharp (22 November 1859 – 23 June 1924) was an English collector of folk songs, folk dances and instrumental music, as well as a lecturer, teacher, composer and musician. He was a key figure in the folk-song revival in England dur ...

House,

Camden Town Camden Town () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London. Laid out as a residential distri ...

and has offices at Capital House in London, England.

Structure

With approximately 200 voices, the London Gay Men's Chorus has four singing sections, bass, baritone, first tenor and second tenor. Each section is divided between upper and lower voices supported by a music support team drawn from the ranks. Semitones are non-singing members who help support the chorus, including performing Front of House activities during a concert. A group of auditioned members constitute the 'ensemble' (LGMCe), a small group which works as an ambassadorial and fundraising entity and performs at corporate events, civil partnership and wedding ceremonies. In August 2024, the Chorus converted from being a charitable company limited by guarantee to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) (Reg. No. 1092827). It is governed by a board of 13 trustees comprising seven members and six external trustees. Revenue is drawn from membership subscriptions, ticket and merchandise sales, donations, and performance fees. The Chorus has had a number of commercial sponsors, both monetary donors and providers of pro bono professional services, including the former pioneering gay website Queer Company, design firm Marsh and Malone who developed a new corporate identity in 2005–6, and fundraising consultants Brakeley. The Chorus also enjoyed a commercial relationship with

Selfridges Selfridges, also known as Selfridges & Co., is a chain of upmarket department stores in the United Kingdom that is operated by Selfridges Retail Limited. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908. The historic Daniel Burnham-designed Self ...

, and has sung carols in the

Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running between Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road via Oxford Circus. It marks the notional boundary between the areas of Fitzrovia and Marylebone to t ...

store during the Christmas season for five years (between 2004 and 2008). Further relationships with Baker McKenzie and ARUP have more recently been established.

Historic overview

After humble beginnings in 1991 at Angel Underground station (where the station had to be closed due to the crowd that had gathered), the Chorus has performed around the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and toured overseas in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and sung with the Helsinki Gay Men's Chorus in the summer of 2009. The chorus has made many TV appearances and radio broadcasts including ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

'', ''So

Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), known professionally as Graham Norton, is an Irish comedian, broadcaster, actor, and writer. He is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for the comedy chat show ''The Graham Norton Show'' (2007–present) ...

'', '' Loose Ends'', Ruby Wax Christmas special, '' London Tonight'', the Paul Ross weekend breakfast show on

LBC LBC (originally the London Broadcasting Company) is a British phone-in and talk radio station owned and operated by Global and based in its headquarters in London. It was the UK's first licensed commercial radio station, and began to broadc ...

, and ''

Comic Relief Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...

'', and has sung and performed with stars including Sir

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic music, electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their t ...

Heather Small Heather Marguerita Small (born 20 January 1965) is an English soul music, soul singer and lead vocalist of the band M People. Her subsequent debut solo studio album, ''Proud (Heather Small album), Proud'', was released in 2000. Her second and ...

Damien Hirst Damien Steven Hirst (; né Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist and art collector. He was one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingdom's richest ...

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English actor. Known as a character actor on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Olivier Award and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for two BAFT ...

, Alison Jiear,

Jocelyn Brown Jocelyn Lorette Brown (born November 25, 1950), sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and dance music, dance singer. She has a Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart entry solely in her name. Brown sang ...

Toyah Willcox Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has had eight top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 ...

k.d. lang Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang (stylised in all lowercase), is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical pe ...

Rula Lenska Rula Lenska (born Roza Maria Leopoldyna Lubienski 30 September 1947) is an English actress. She mainly appears in British stage and television productions and is known in the United States for a series of television advertisements in the 1970s ...

Sandi Toksvig Sandra Birgitte Toksvig (; ; born 3 May 1958) is a Danish-British broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer on British radio, stage and television. She is also a political activist, having co-founded the Women's Equality Party in 2015. She ha ...

, Dame

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Hitching; 28 October 1927) is an English singer and actress known for her scat singing. She is the widow of jazz composer and musician Sir John Dankworth and the mother of bassist Alec D ...

Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, record producer, and songwriter. He has won nine Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year for Amy Winehouse's album '' Back to Black'' (2006), as well as two for Record ...

and The

Pet Shop Boys Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music h ...

. Over the years the Chorus has raised thousands of pounds for charity (the Food Chain, the Royal Marsden Hospital, Crusaid, the

RNIB RNIB (formally, the Royal National Institute of Blind People and previously the Royal National Institute for the Blind) is a British charity, founded in 1868, that serves people living with visual impairments. It is regarded as a leader in th ...

, Changing Attitude, he National Autistic Society the

Terrence Higgins Trust Terrence Higgins Trust is a British charity that campaigns about and provides services relating to HIV and sexual health. In particular, the charity aims to end the transmission of HIV in the UK; to support and empower people living with HIV, to ...

, the Orchid Cancer Appeal, Cara and others), and sung everywhere from the tube station of its beginnings to pubs and street corners, XXL,

Heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...

, the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...

and

Queen Elizabeth Hall The Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) is a music venue on the South Bank in London, England, that hosts European classical music, classical, jazz, and avant-garde music, talks and dance performances. It was opened in 1967, with a concert conducted by ...

, the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

and the Sydney Football Stadium, the

Millennium Dome The Millennium Dome was the original name of the large dome-shaped building on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East (London sub region), South East London, England, which housed a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millen ...

in the presence of HM The Queen, La Cigale in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, The

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, the

National Concert Hall The National Concert Hall (NCH) (An Ceoláras Náisiúnta) is a national cultural institution, sometimes described as "the home of music in Ireland". It comprises the actual concert hall operation, which in various chambers hosts over 1,000 ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, the Gianni Agnelli Auditorium in

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

, the

London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...

(for the centenary of the building), the

Palau de la Música Catalana Palau de la Música Catalana (, ) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan ''modernisme, modernista'' style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a ...

in Barcelona, the

Congress Hall Congress Hall, located in Philadelphia at the intersection of Chestnut and 6th Streets, served as the seat of the United States Congress from December 6, 1790, to May 14, 1800. During Congress Hall's duration as the capitol of the United State ...

in Warsaw, Poland and the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

. Most recently it has once again raised funds for the

, who it partnered with back in 1991 when it was founded, as part of both their 30th and 40th anniversary celebrations.

Recent history

2024

The Chorus returned to

Alexandra Palace Theatre The Alexandra Palace Theatre was originally built in London, England, in 1873 for the performance of opera and ballet, but within a few weeks was burnt to the ground with the rest of the Alexandra Palace. The Palace, including the theatre, w ...

to showcase a celebration of global pride in its production of Queer Carnival - a show performed in multiple languages and in partnership with the

Kaleidoscope Trust Kaleidoscope Trust is a nonprofit organisation that campaigns for the human rights of LGBT+ people around the world. Its mission is to help create a world where LGBT+ people are free, safe and equal everywhere.

2023

Returning to

Cadogan Hall Cadogan Hall is a 950-seat capacity concert hall in Sloane Terrace in Chelsea, London, Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. The resident music ensemble at Cadogan Hall is the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ( ...

, the LGMC presented two concerts - 'Proud' in June followed by 'A Winter's Tale' hosted by

in November. This was followed up with a Christmas show at the

Clapham Grand The Grand (previously The Grand Theatre) is a Grade II* listed buildings in London, Grade II listed building on St John's Hill, near Clapham Junction (area), Clapham Junction in Battersea, South London. It was designed by Ernest Woodrow and was ...

on 22 & 23 December, aptly titled, 'It's Christmas!'. The summer concert helped to raise awareness and funds for

Parkinson's UK Parkinson's UK is a Parkinson's research and support charity in the United Kingdom. In April 2010, the Parkinson's Disease Society changed its name to become Parkinson's UK. Its aims are to improve the quality of life for people affected by Park ...

and the winter concerts for Stonewall Housing. The Chorus also traveled to Florence & Bologna, Italy to participate in Various Voices 2024, finishing off the year with a surprise appearance on Patron

Hannah Waddingham Hannah Waddingham (born 28 July 1974) is an English actress, singer, and television presenter. She is known for playing businesswoman Rebecca Welton in ''Ted Lasso'' (2020–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award and two Critics' Ch ...

's Apple TV Special 'Hannah Waddingham - Home for Christmas' filmed at the

2022

In 2022 the LGMC marked the incredible contribution of Stephen Sondheim to music and theatre through its 'Sondheim Songtime' performances at Cadogan Hall, followed by a return of the Halloween Ball at the

- a reboot of 2013's Ball at the Hackney Empire.

2021

This year saw its triumphant return to stage with performances of 'Perfect Day' at Cadogan Hall, celebrating its return to stage, and its 'Big Birthday Bash' performance at the Clapham Grand, marking the official 30th birthday.

2020

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic live, in-person performances were paused but member-focussed activities continued, with online performances also held throughout one of the most challenging year in the LGMC's history.

2019

On Saturday 15 June, in a show celebrating the iconic sound of

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

, the Chorus presented Hitsville – a concert penned by some of the all-time greats of popular music. The show took place again at London's

Troxy Troxy is a Grade II-listed Art Deco music venue on Commercial Road in Stepney, London. Built as a cinema in 1933, it closed in 1960 and became a training school for the London Opera Centre. In the 1980s the building was used as a bingo hall, ...

. At the show, the Nigerian gay-rights activist Bisi Alimi was announced as the chorus' newest patron. For the Christmas season, the chorus tackled the idea of 'home'. Finding Home took audiences through a moving, uplifting and thoroughly entertaining show at

2018

On 15 June, the LGMC performed the first of two Summer concerts at

, Polyphonica. The chorus travelled to

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

in May 2018 as part of the Various Voices LGBT chorus festival where they sang repertoire from the show along with some other favourites, including a duet with

Conchita Wurst Thomas Neuwirth (born 6 November 1988) is an Austrian singer, fashion designer, human rights activist and drag queen who is known for his stage persona Conchita Wurst (or simply Conchita). He came to international attention after winning the Euro ...

Rise Like A Phoenix "Rise Like a Phoenix" is a song recorded by Austrian singer Conchita Wurst, written by Joey Patulka, Alexander Zuckowski, Julian Maas, and Charlie Mason. It in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 held in Copenhagen, resulting in the country's seco ...

. On 5 September, the Chorus performed at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at

Tate Modern Tate Modern is an art gallery in London, housing the United Kingdom's national collection of international Modern art, modern and contemporary art (created from or after 1900). It forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Live ...

and introduced

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, a ...

to the stage as he accepted The Editor's Lifetime Achievement Award For Services To Philanthropy. On 20 December, the LGMC performed the first of four Christmas shows at the

, Oom-Pah-Pah! which took its inspiration from the Victorian music hall.

2017

In January 2017, the Chorus started rehearsing for their next show, ''Agitpop'', at

. The chorus also took the show to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in May 2017 where they performed at the city's

Skirball Cultural Center The Skirball Cultural Center, founded in 1996, is a Jewish educational institution in Los Angeles, California. The center, named after philanthropist couple Jack H. Skirball and Audrey Skirball-Kenis, has a museum with regularly changing exhi ...

alongside the New York City Gay Men's Chorus before decamping to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

to perform with the

Chicago Gay Men's Chorus The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (CGMC) is a choir, choral organization in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1983 with 55 singers, the chorus currently consists of approximately 150 singing members and over 200 members in total. History The Chorus wa ...

. The chorus also performed AgitPop at the Snape Festival in

Snape Maltings Britten Pears Arts is a large music education organisation based in Suffolk, England. It aims to continue the legacy of composer Benjamin Britten and his partner, singer Peter Pears, and to promote the enjoyment and experience of music for all ...

in August. During this season, the chorus also collaborated with the cast of ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...

'' to sing a version of "

Circle of Life "Circle of Life" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film ''The Lion King''. Composed by British musician Elton John and composer Hans Zimmer, with lyrics by Tim Rice, the song was performed by Carmen Twillie (the deep female lead ...

" to coincide with Pride in London. In December, the Chorus presented Tinseltown, a tribute to Hollywood featuring

Rachel Tucker Rachel Kelly Tucker (born 29 May 1981) is a Northern Irish stage actress, best known for her portrayal of Elphaba in the musical '' Wicked''. She also starred in '' Come from Away'' on Broadway, having originated the role in the West End. Rachel ...

and Dylan Turner. On 6 May, members of the LGMC performed at the wedding of

Tom Daley Thomas Robert Daley (born 21 May 1994) is an English retired diver, YouTuber and television personality. He is an Olympic champion in the men's synchronised 10-metre platform event at the 2020 Olympics and double world champion in the FI ...

and

Dustin Lance Black Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBT rights activist. He is known for writing the film ''Milk'', for which he won the Oscar for best original screenplay in 2009. He has also subsequen ...

2016

In 2016, the Chorus celebrated its 25th anniversary and Silver Jubilee, with its first show of the year at

for 'History' a retrospective of both the Chorus' own history and key events since it formed in 1991. In the wake of the

Orlando nightclub shooting On , 2016, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States before Orlando Police officers fatally shot him after a three-hour standoff. I ...

, the LGMC attended a vigil on London's

Old Compton Street Old Compton Street is a road that runs east–west through Soho in the West End of London, named after Henry Compton (bishop), Henry Compton who raised funds for St Anne's Church, Soho, St Anne's Church in 1686. The area, particularly this str ...

, singing Simon and Garfunkel's

Bridge Over Troubled Water ''Bridge Over Troubled Water'' is the fifth and final studio album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on January 26, 1970, by Columbia Records. Following the duo's soundtrack for ''The Graduate'', Art Garfunkel took an acting ...

to the waiting crowd. Due to the public reaction, the Chorus released the song as a single on Friday 24 June, with all profits going to the Orlando victims fund and GALOP UK, a Uk-based charity combating hate crime. The Chorus also undertook a regional tour of the UK, travelling to Brighton in August to sing with the Brighton Gay Men's Chorus for Brighton Pride, and singing with Gay Abandon and The Deep C Divas in Leeds in October. They performed at Newcastle the next day. In October, the Chorus also returned to Union Chapel to take part once again in the Robert Grace Trust fundraiser. On 27 November, the Chorus performed a special show, UGotMale at the

. The show celebrated the Silver Jubilee and also closed the Southbank Centre's Being a Man festival. For this special show, the Chorus was joined by patron

and Hannah Peddley, as well as members of the Orion Symphony Orchestra and the London Gay Big Band. To finish the year, the Chorus performed at Angel and Tottenham Court Road tube stations on 1 December to celebrate the Jubilee and commemorate World AIDS Day. The LGMC Ensemble also performed a Christmas show in December (''Homo Alone: A Christmas Story'') at the Lost Theatre, and the Chorus released ''XXV'' - celebrating 25 years (see below).

2015

This year's performances focussed on the theme of Love, for summer at Cadogan Hall; the winter then played host to the Big Gay Swing at the Roundhouse.

2014

2014 saw a collaboration with the New York City Gay Men's Chorus with 'You Say Tomato' at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, as well as 'We Are London' at Union Chapel as well as a traditional Christmas concert at Cadogan Hall.

2013

The Chorus performed an unforgettable set of Halloween performances at the Hackney Empire - a move away from its more traditional Christmas themed performances in the second half of the year.

2012

In February, the Chorus sang at 10 Downing Street in the presence of Prime Minister David Cameron for an event against homophobia in sport. The Chorus performed its 21st anniversary show, ''A Band of Brothers'', at the

(for the first time) on 6 May 2012 in support of the

with participation of the

Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is an arts centre in London, England. It is adjacent to the separately owned National Theatre and BFI Southbank. It comprises the three main performance spaces – the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Purcell R ...

's Voicelab and London school children. The compere for the show was

Paul Gambaccini Paul Matthew Gambaccini (born 2 April 1949) is an American-British radio and television presenter and author. He is a dual citizen of the United States and United Kingdom, having become a British citizen in 2005. Known as "The Great Gambo" and ...

. They also performed the show at the Grand Opera House in Belfast on 20 May. The repertoire for this show includes

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Lily Allen, Her accolades include a Brit Award, alongside nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivi ...

The Smiths The Smiths were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (musician), Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwrit ...

and a new commission with music by

Conor Mitchell Conor Mitchell is a Northern Irish composer, librettist and theatre-maker. His play, ''The Dummy Tree'', was commissioned by the Royal National Theatre for their 2009 New Connections series. Conor has been a great supporter of Youth Music Theatr ...

and book by

Mark Ravenhill Mark Ravenhill (born 7 June 1966) is an English playwright, actor and journalist. Ravenhill is one of the most widely performed playwrights in British theatre of the late-twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His major plays include '' Shoppi ...

entitled ''Shadow Time''. The piece explores the evolution of mentalities in respect of homosexuality in the lifetime of the Chorus. As part of an outreach project the Chorus worked with two London schools (Stoke Newington School, Riverside School). The pupils involved in this (some of them with special needs) took part in the show at the Royal Festival Hall. A short film about the project, introduced by Jon Snow, was produced by the Media Trust and shown on the Community Channel as part of the Untold Stories series. The Chorus also performed at

Southwark Cathedral Southwark Cathedral ( ), formally the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, is a Church of England cathedral in Southwark, London, near the south bank of the River Thames and close to London Bridge. It is the mother c ...

on 6 July as part of World Pride while members took part in various events linked to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Members of the Chorus also feature in episode 5 of a new BBC Three sitcom. The show, '' Dead Boss'', is written by

Sharon Horgan Sharon Lorencia Horgan (born ) is an Irish actress, writer, director, producer, and comedian. She is best known for creating and starring in the comedy series '' Pulling'' (2006–2009), '' Catastrophe'' (2015–2019), and '' Bad Sisters'' (2022 ...

and features

Jennifer Saunders Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School ...

Caroline Quentin Caroline Quentin (born Caroline Amanda Jane Jones; 11 July 1960) is an English actress, broadcaster and television presenter. Quentin became known for her television appearances, portraying Dorothy in ''Men Behaving Badly'' (1992–1998), Maddie ...

and

Susan Calman Susan Grace Calman (born 6 November 1974) is a Scottish comedian, television presenter and writer. She has written and starred in two series of her radio sitcom ''Sisters'', two series of stand-up show ''Susan Calman is Convicted'' and a serie ...

. Episode 5 also features

Tony Blackburn Anthony Kenneth Blackburn (born 29 January 1943) is an English disc jockey, singer and television presenter, whose career spans over 60 years. Blackburn first achieved fame broadcasting on the pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio Londo ...

and

Carl Barât Carl Ashley Raphael Barât (; born 6 June 1978) is a British musician best known for being the co-frontman with Pete Doherty of the indie rock band the Libertines. He was the frontman and guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things, and in 2010 debuted a ...

. The show aired in June and July.

2011

The Chorus performed the summer show, ''Sound: An Aural Adventure'' on 24 and 25 June at the Union Chapel. Guests performers included members of the London Bulgarian Choir. The repertoire included a Bollywood medley and a 16-part version of

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

's Triumph of the Heart, complete with beatboxing. The Christmas show, ''Make Mine a Snowball'', was performed on 16 and 17 December to a sold-out crowd at Cadogan Hall.

2010

The summer show, ''The Seven Deadly Sins'' was performed at the

Camden Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, a circ ...

on 25 & 26 June 2010. The Chorus performed in the

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

, Poland on 16 July 2010 and took part in the

Europride EuroPride is a pan-European identity, pan-European international event dedicated to Gay pride, LGBT pride, hosted by a different European city each year. The host city is usually one with an established gay pride, pride event or a significan ...

2010 parade. Members of the Chorus appeared on the (originally eponymous) track "Introducing The Business" in

's album ''

Record Collection Record Collection may refer to: *Record Collection (record label), a Los Angeles–based music studio * ''Record Collection'' (album), a 2010 album by Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. *"Record Collection", a song by Kaiser Chiefs on the 2019 album ...

''. The Christmas show ''Make Your Own Kind of Christmas'' was performed on 10–11 December 2010 at the Cadogan Hall with its trademark mix of fabulous pop hits and stunning classical pieces, all laced with a generous splash of festive spirit. Taking inspiration from gay men's relationship with what's traditionally a family celebration, expect a funny, moving and memorable journey to an eclectic soundtrack including music by

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (; ; March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for hi ...

the Smiths The Smiths were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (musician), Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwrit ...

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...

and

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Billboard Hot 100, top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation (song), Anticipatio ...

. A share of the proceeds from these concerts supported the Samaritans UK.

2009

Members of the Chorus spearheaded the bid for London to host the European choir festival Various Voices 2009, which was awarded the Inspire Mark by the organisers of the

London 2012 Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

. The festival took place at the

in May 2009 in collaboration with the 2 other London LGBT choirs (

The Pink Singers The Pink Singers were formed on 7 April 1983, making the ''Pinkies'' the longest-running LGBT+ choir in Europe. Introduction Pink Singers is the largest LGBT mixed-voice choir in the UK. Founded in 1983 as an all-male choir with open recruit ...

and Diversity), and with the support of

Visit London London & Partners (L&P) is London's business growth and destination agency. History It was set up by the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, on 1 April 2011. It is a PPP and not-for-profit business focused on promotion of London driving jobs and growt ...

and the

Greater London Authority The Greater London Authority (GLA), colloquially known by the Metonymy, metonym City Hall, is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved Regions of England, regional governance body of Greater London, England. It consists of two political ...

. The Chorus visited Helsinki in June and performed with Out and Loud the Finnish gay male voice choir in a one night concert in Helsinki. The LGMC also marched in Helsinki gay pride and sang on the main stage. The Chorus's repertoire for that season brought together a selection of songs about London. The show at the

Shaw Theatre The Shaw Theatre is a theatre in Somers Town, in the London Borough of Camden. It is a part of the Pullman London St Pancras hotel, located off Euston Road. The Shaw has 446 seats and two large foyers, four large dressing rooms for up to 60 p ...

on 16 July was called ''Songs of London''. On 30 October the Chorus together with members of the LGBT choirs of London, Brighton and Hove, Birmingham and Reading as well as the London Gay Symphonic Wind took part in a vigil against hate crime in

in memory of

Ian Baynham Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, which is derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponds to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. This name is a popu ...

who died after a homophobic attack near the Square. The event gathered several thousand people and was hosted by Sandi Toksvig. It featured contributions by

Richard Barnes Richard Barnes may refer to: *Richard Barnes (bishop) (1532–1587), Bishop of Durham * Richard Barnes (Newfoundland politician) (1805–1846), Newfoundland businessman and politician * Richard Hawksworth Barnes (1831–1904), English coffee growe ...

(Deputy Mayor of London),

Chris Bryant Sir Christopher John Bryant (born 11 January 1962) is a British politician and former Anglican priest who has served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Rhondda and Ogmore (UK Parliament constituency), Rhondda ...

MP (Minister for Europe) and

Maria Eagle Maria Eagle (born 17 February 1961) is a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Liverpool Garston, previously Garston and Halewood, since 1997 Unit ...

MP (Minister of State for Equalities and twin of the only out lesbian MP),

Stephen K Amos Stephen Kehinde Amos (born 3 December 1967) is a British comedian and television personality. A regular on the international comedy circuit, he is known for including his audience members during his shows. He began his career as a compere at ...

and

Sue Perkins Susan Elizabeth Perkins (born 22 September 1969) is an English actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer. Originally coming to prominence through her comedy partnership with Mel Giedroyc in ''Mel and Sue'', she progressed into radio a ...

. The Chorus's winter performances, which included panto elements and titled ''Singderella'' took place at the Cadogan Hall on 4 and 5 December. The performances were in support of

Everyman The everyman is a stock character of fiction. An ordinary and humble character, the everyman is generally a protagonist whose benign conduct fosters the audience's identification with them. Origin and history The term ''everyman'' was used ...

Marie Curie Cancer Care Marie Curie is a registered charitable organization, charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which provides hospice care and support for anyone with an illness they are likely to die from, and those close to them, and campaigns for better su ...

and St John's Hospice. The Chorus was also invited to be the lead choir at the annual

GLA GLA or Gla may refer to: Entertainment * ''GLA'' (album), by Scottish alternative rock band Twin Atlantic * Great Lakes Avengers, a fictional comic hero group Organisations * Gangmasters Licensing Authority, a British regulatory body * Genera ...

Carol Service at

on 15 December.
London Gay Men's Chorus to sing at mayor's Christmas carol service
'', PinkNews, 11 December 2009 The Chorus appeared as one of the many guests of Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker series of shows at

The Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...

. The performance on 22 December 2009 was broadcast live on

Sky Arts Sky Arts (originally launched as Artsworld) is a British free-to-air television channel offering 24 hours a day of programmes dedicated to highbrow arts, including theatrical performances, films, documentaries and music (such as opera perfor ...

2008

In July, the Chorus performed a selection of songs based on the work of

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...

, ''Songs of Innocence and Experience'' at the Cadogan Hall on 4 and 5 July. Later in the month, the Chorus was invited to take part in the second edition of the Trobada Internacional de Cors d'Homes in

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

(

). The Chorus, one of the five male voice choirs taking part, performed at

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

with the other choirs, in

La Garriga La Garriga () is a municipality in the Provinces of Spain, province of Province of Barcelona, Barcelona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. The municipality covers an area of and the population in 2014 was 15,762. Notable natives and re ...

with the Societat Coral L'Aliança,

Castellar del Vallès Castellar del Vallès () is a Spanish municipality of Catalonia in the comarca of Vallès Occidental. It is located 7 km from Sabadell and 11 km from Terrassa, the comarca's two capitals. Other villages near Castellar del Vallès are S ...

with the Coral Sant Josep, and in

Vila-Seca Vila-seca (; literally 'Dry-town') is a municipality of the ''comarca'' of Tarragonès, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The historical name was ''Vila-seca de Solcina'' and since the 80's known as ''Vila-seca i Salou'' until Sa ...

. The Christmas show, ''For Christmas' Sake'', took place at the Cadogan Hall and was in support of the

National Autistic Society The National Autistic Society is a charity for autistic people and their families in the United Kingdom. Since 1962, the National Autistic Society has been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, ser ...

2007

On 26 and 27 May, the Chorus made its first visit to Scotland with performances at the

Usher Hall The Usher Hall (Scottish Gaelic: ''Talla Usher'') is a concert hall in the West End of Edinburgh, Scotland. The hall is owned and managed by the City of Edinburgh Council, and has hosted concerts and events since its construction in 1914. Th ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and the Strathclyde Suite at the Royal Concert Hall,

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. They were performing with one of Scotland's LGBT choirs, Loud & Proud. The show, directed by Julian Woolford, was titled ''Bad Boys'' and compiled rock anthems with classical/operatic pieces. It also featured the premiere of ''My Friends'', a song by Julian Woolford and Richard John, which was performed by Far From Kansas. It is a tribute to those who died in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis. There were also two sold-out performances at the Cadogan Hall in London on 20 and 21 July. At the end of the summer season, Charles Beale, the Musical Director left to become Musical Director of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus. Andrea Brown also had to leave to Chorus after having been offered a teaching job at Morley College (south London). On 16 December, the Chorus appeared on the stage of the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

. The show, ''Accentuate the Positive'', directed by Stuart Burrows, marked the 25th anniversary of the

. Alison Jiear appeared on stage with the Chorus.

2006

To celebrate its fifteenth anniversary, the Chorus organised celebration concerts at the

, London, and in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

in July as well as a party at

, London. The Chorus also took part in the

celebrations held in London, and performed at Europride 2006, The Show was produced by Sir

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...

at the Royal Albert Hall in July. In September, the Chorus was invited to take part in the prestigious international music festival, Settembre Musica in

. The Chorus, still collaborating with Raymond Gubbay Ltd, sold out the Barbican Hall once again with their third Christmas show there (20 December). The show was hosted by

2005

In December, the Chorus returned with a second edition of their Christmas show, ''Make the Yuletide Gay'' promoted like the previous year by Raymond Gubbay Ltd and hosted by

who sang and danced as well as hosting the show. The Chorus performed at Symphony Hall in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, The Concert Hall in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

and the

Barbican Hall The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. At the same time, they released their fifth recording, and first Christmas CD, ''Make the Yuletide Gay''.

2004

In December the Chorus sold out the

with their Christmas show ''Make the Yuletide Gay'' hosted by

. This was the fastest ever sell-out concert for the venue. In May 2005, the Chorus took part in the Various Voices festival in

. In July of the same year, they gave three performances of ''You'll Do For Now'' at the Cadogan Hall, London. The show, devised by a Chorus member, charted the lives of four gay men in London over the second half of the twentieth century. The inclusion of a narrative thread to a show was a new artistic challenge for the Chorus.

Online presence

In addition to its corporate website, the Chorus has a wide online presence on social media. Its recordings can be found on most music download websites.

Discography

''XXV'' (2016)

A studio recording to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the LGMC. Featuring live recordings from the History show at Cadogan Hall in June 2016, and studio recordings at Henry Wood Hall.

''Accentuate the Positive'' (2009)

A studio recording of the LGMC sell-out show ''Accentuate the Positive''. First performed at the London Palladium, December 2007

''Make the Yuletide Gay'' (2005)

The LGMC Christmas show from 2005.

''From the Ritz to the Anchor & Crown'' (2004)

LGMC's collection of audience favourites.

''Showtime'' (2003)

This CD is a selection of songs from the LGMC 2003 touring production, ''Tying the Knot''.

''Moving Ahead'' (2002)

Recorded (mostly) live in front of the capacity audiences for the ''Golden Reign'' concerts staged in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, July 2002.

''Hear the Difference'' (1998)

LGMC's first effort in CD production mostly recorded at the Croydon Lesbian and Gay Forum show held in 1998.

Introduction

Structure

Historic overview

Recent history

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Online presence

Discography

''XXV'' (2016)

''Accentuate the Positive'' (2009)

''Make the Yuletide Gay'' (2005)

''From the Ritz to the Anchor & Crown'' (2004)

''Showtime'' (2003)

''Moving Ahead'' (2002)

''Hear the Difference'' (1998)

References

External links