The Rainbow Chorus-Inclusion Through A Musical Prism

By Patty Castillo Davis

“If you want to sing, join a chorus. If you want to change the world, join a gay chorus.”-Gary Miller, a founder of the New York Gay Men’s Chorus.

It all started with a text.

And then a lull.

And then another text.

And then a lull.

Until the universe opened up, the stars aligned, and the dots were connected.

Holly Grace Currie, a Behavioral Health Clinician at the Center for Human Services reached out to me-“I honestly don’t need much to say in any of it- I just want to join a secular choir with diverse members and sing my heart out. And one doesn’t exist yet.”

An all-volunteer LGBTQ+ choir, including Allies, singing inspirational Pride-themed songs in queer and non-queer spaces, demonstrating harmony. ( literally ), in a time when this is most needed. Check. She asked if the Rainbow Resource Center might host, sponsor, and promote the effort.

So After the holidays in December 2022, a planning meeting was organized at the RRC space, and close to a dozen people came to discuss what a Queer choir might look like. The room was enthusiastic as each person introduced themselves and gave some information on their choir experience.

An alternative safe space was procured for the rehearsal hall, and details and dates were aligned. Matthew Mason, Chorus Manager, handles the Venmo and emails and is a singer and support to Director/Accompanist Lisa Baptiste. Baptiste chooses the choir arrangements based on difficulty looking for a positive upbeat crowd pleasing queer anthems.

Today the Rainbow Chorus boasts a membership of up to twenty-five talented singers. This is an ebullient group of people who are super supportive of each other, a constant source of joy, and where neurodiversity is recognized and appreciated. The Rainbow Chorus can also say that they are the only non-classical and secular ( non-religious ) choir.

All are welcome.

Just show up and sing. There is no audition process, just a tiny, straightforward voice placement effort in a relaxed atmosphere. Auditions are held for solo opportunities within a piece. All voice parts are queer and gender inclusive. For example, if I want to come and join and sing the bass part, I would be encouraged and embraced. The Rainbow Chorus has an open membership and is rehearsing its debut performance at the State Theater on June 17 during the “What A Drag!” show and fundraiser. The chorus will also be performing at Modesto Pride 2023 in the Fall. This will be a “coming out” like no other.

Happy Pride!

If you would like to join the Rainbow Chorus, rehearsals are held every first and third Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Stanislaus County located at 2172 Kiernan Ave. in Modesto. For further information, reach out to: rainbowchorusmodesto@ gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

Hey folks! Blue Monday Party needs you! We have received the green light that COVID restrictions are lifted, and it is time to get back to our routine, at least until the next catastrophe comes along.

We host Blue Monday on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month at Café Urbano, where you can enjoy great food, a full bar, and a swinging band with special guests each month. In the band, we have John Ady and Conrad Johnson on bass, John Burt on sax, Cortez Flores and Dave Hawks on drums, and Eric Benson on keys. We play a variety of genres, including jazz, funk, Latin, rock, and blues (not necessarily in that order) for listening and dancing. So please be like alpha beta and tell a friend. We thank Chris Murphy and Gary Nelson for their love and

By Eric Benson

support of the Blue Monday scene, which we truly appreciate!

Blue Monday is happening with great music and attendance. The house band features John Burt on sax, John Ady and Conrad Johnson on bass, Dave Hawkes and Cortez Flores on drums, Eric Benson on keyboards, Natalia Alexandra as the vocalist, and special guests at each event. The jam is open, so come out June 11th and 25th. Café Urbano has DJ dancing from Tuesday through Sunday, featuring Latin-based music. The Creole Jazz Kings also continue to play at Café Urbano and will be back this month, so swing by!

The farmers’ markets are back, music in the plaza is starting, and school is out for summer. We hope to see you out and about! There are some great shows at the Gallo Center. Still, we also recommend checking great venues out of town, such as Yoshi’s Oakland for the best jazz shows, Khumba Music Center in Santa Cruz, Piedmont Piano Company, the Back Door, and the Sound Room in Oakland. Please continue to come out, folks, as we can’t do it without you!