SFGMC's I AM HARVEY MILK Recording Scores Independent Music Awards Nomination

San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) joins nearly 400 exceptional self-released and independent label artists, as well as former major label acts named by Music Resource Group (MRG) as Nominees in The 13th Independent Music Awards (The IMAs), the influential awards program for independent bands and fans. SFGMC's original cast recording of "I Am Harvey Milk" is nominated for "Best Soundtrack/Cast Recording." "I Am Harvey Milk" is an emotional celebration of an American icon. Part choral work, part theater piece, it weaves the story of Harvey Milk's life - from boyhood to his rise as the first openly gay man to hold public office in California and to his untimely assassination.

With music and words by Tony and Grammy Award nominee Andrew Lippa (Big Fish, The Addams Family, The Wild Party), "I Am Harvey Milk" features Lippa as Harvey Milk, Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti (Gypsy, NBC's "Go On" and The Sound of Music) as the Soprano Soloist and Noah Marlowe (Mary Poppins, Fun Home) as young Harvey, along with the 300 men of the Chorus. Recorded live during the world premiere at Nourse Theatre in San Francisco, the recording was mixed by multi-Grammy Award winner Leslie Ann Jones at Skywalker Sound and is available now at SFGMC.org and on iTunes.

SFGMC's "I Am Harvey Milk" is nominated among an eclectic mix of established artists and artists on the rise including Melissa Ferrick, Yuck, The Soul of John Black, Omar Sosa, Willie Sugarcapps, Born Of Osiris, Vienna Teng and Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche, among many other deserving artists whose recordings were released during the 13th IMA program eligibility period.

Winners will be determined by a panel of influential artist and industry judges including Ann Wilson & Nancy Wilson, Sharon Jones, Laurie Anderson, Suzanne Vega, Meshell Ndegeocello, Chiddy Bang, Shelby Lynne, Joshua Redman, G. Love, Aoife O'Donovan, Jim Lauderdale, Chris Wood & Oliver Wood, Band Of Skulls, Judy Collins, Raul Midon, Bernie Worrell, Dennis Diken, Arturo Sandoval, Alan Light (Live From The Artists Den), Terry McBride (Nettwerk Music Group), Kevin Lyman (Vans Warped Tour), Jason Olaine (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone), Hillary McAndrew Plate (Lincoln Center) Bob Ludwig (Gateway Mastering), Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records), Evan Schlansky (American Songwriter), Delphine Robertson (Playtone Productions), Benji Rogers (PledgeMusic), Megan West (SoundCloud) and others.

The results will be announced in May 2014. In addition to industry-determined Winners, music fans from around the world have until Friday, July 18, 2014 to cast their votes at The IMA Vox Pop Jukebox to determine the fan-selected program winners.

The world premiere of the choral work, "I Am Harvey Milk," concluded the Chorus's 35th anniversary season at the Harvey Milk 2013 concert. The recording is a perfect culmination of SFGMC's 35-year history, which began with its first public performance ,at the candlelight vigil for slain Supervisor Harvey Milk. "I Am Harvey Milk" is conducted by Dr. Timothy Seelig, orchestrated by August Eriksmoen, and features the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus accompanied by Carl Pantle on piano and members of the Bay Area Rainbow Symphony. "I Am Harvey Milk" at Nourse Theatre was produced by Bruce Cohen, in association with Robb Nanus and Jessica Leventhal, directed by Noah Himmelstein, and Video and Projection Design by Andrew Lazarow.

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