About the Chorus
The Triad Pride Men's Chorus continues to grow, both musically and organizationally, enabling us to expand our mission. We continue to perform choral music to entertain, enlighten, and enrich while promoting equality and social justice for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity--fostering pride, understanding and acceptance.
For the 2006-2007 season we estimated that TPMC sang for 7,000 people in the Triad, with most of them being straight. Our music helps to put a positive and talented face on the LGBT community, and through song presents our common struggle to a widening audience. It shouldn't come as a surprise to those who know that the non-profit performing arts world has been challenged with grant funding and we continue to search for funding sources to be able to strengthen our organizational infrastructure, programs, and outreach.
We remain so grateful to all our audience members, donors, sponsors, volunteers, staff, and singers for raising us up to new heights, ensuring our success.
History
In late 1998, three men from Greensboro who had been driving to the Triangle area every week to sing with the nearest gay men’s chorus decided to take a chance. Hoping that there would be enough interest in and support for a gay men’s chorus in the Triad, they advertised for singers. Over twenty men showed up in January of 1999 from Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and other area towns—all eager to join together in pride and in song. In June of that year the TRIAD PRIDE MEN’S CHORUS held its first concert. Since then the chorus has doubled in size. Membership is open to gay and gay-affirming male singers. TPMC is a member of GALA Choruses, the International Association of Gay and Lesbian Choruses.
Mission
Triad Pride Men's Chorus performs choral music to entertain, to enlighten, and to enrich while promoting equality and social justice for all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity--fostering pride, understanding and acceptance.
Performances
TPMC performs two concert programs each year, one in early June and the other during the holiday season in early December. Each program is presented in Winston-Salem and in Greensboro. In addition to our regular concert schedule, we have donated our time and service to perform for events and organizations such as Dining for Friends, H.O.P.E.’s Candlelight Vigil at Tanglewood, the Guilford Green Gala, NC Pride, The Adam Festival and the Triad Business and Professional Guild. In July 2002 TPMC performed for the first time at the GALA Eastern Regional Festival held in Cincinnati. In July 2004 the chorus traveled to GALA’s International Festival in Montreal to perform before 160 other gay and lesbian choruses (some 6,000 people) from around the world.
Supporters
In addition to our many individual contributors over the past few years, TPMC has been supported by the following organizations: The Guilford Green Foundation, The Adam Foundation, The Crosby Tournament, The Greensboro Arts Council, The Winston-Salem Arts Council, American Express, Unitarian Universalist Church (Greensboro), Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (Winston-Salem), Congregational United Church of Christ (Greensboro), Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA-Winston-Salem), and The Winston-Salem Visitors’ and Convention Bureau, Aladdin Travel of Winston-Salem.
“…A fabulous concert…I have attended all of your concerts for years and truly think this was the best one—musically, artistically, and aesthetically…It warms my heart to see such a special group of men of all ages and backgrounds offer such an amazing gift to our community….” (Chacy SanFilippo)
