Austin Gay Men's Chorus Presents 'Ascending Colour: An AGMC Concert' in May

The Austin Gay Men's Chorus will take the stage for Ascending Colour: An AGMC Concert, which will spotlight music arranged and composed by people of color and the LGBTQIA+ communities, on Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 4 p.m. at First Austin, 901 Trinity Street, Austin, TX 78701. Tickets are available here.

ASCENDING COLOUR is a repertoire of curated pieces representing the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community, explicitly lifting transgender and BIPOC artists by sharing their stories and perspectives through song.

"We want to give visibility to all these talented individuals whose voices have historically not been heard," said AGMC Artistic Director Daniel Arredondo. "We are honored to showcase and stand in solidarity with those who have often fought the hardest for rights and representation in our community. Through the power of music, we hope to share their personal stories, celebrate their contributions, and amplify the societal and political issues they face."

In addition to the songs from new composers, Ascending Colour will feature several songs from Songs of the Phoenix, a new work curated by Andrew Lippa. Lippa composed UNBREAKABLE, which the Austin Gay Men's Chorus performed in 2019.

Arredondo said that he chose the songs for the spring concert not only to showcase new voices in composing, but also to highlight the talents and diversity of the chorus itself.

AGMC Board Chair Fred Lugo said Ascending Colour will be a powerful affirmation of the chorus's mission. "The intent of showcasing the artistry of transgender and BIPOC talent aligns with our organization's mission of 'raising voices in song to change minds,' especially when past and current legislation nationwide has questioned LGBTQ+ rights," he said. "We hope the impact of this concert builds awareness, fosters acceptance and gains visibility on how dimensional the LGBTQ+ experience is."

Ascending Colour will offer concert attendees a chance to see the Austin Gay Men's Chorus return to the full complement of singers it boasted before the pandemic. "We will have nearly 100 singers on stage, representing the return of many of our pre-pandemic members as well as dozens of new voices," said Chorus President Glen Langford. "We've been rehearsing Ascending Colour for two months and I'm repeatedly amazed at the talent and skill that our members so generously share."

Austin Gay Men's Chorus: Initially named the Capital City Men's Chorus, the Austin Gay Men's Chorus was inspired by a 1989 visit to Austin by The Names Project. Since then, the chorus has grown significantly from an initial 16 members. Raising their voices in song to change minds, transform lives, and build community, the chorus has performed at Carnegie Hall as well as in Houston, Fort Worth, Denver and Montreal as well as several venues in Austin. Guest artists include Tony-nominated composer Andrew Lippa, Broadway star Nick Rodriquez, Grammy-nominated mezzo-soprano Rose Taylor, Austin's cabaret legend Karen Kuykendall, members of the Austin Lyric Opera, the Austin Civic Orchestra and others. The chorus has recorded and released three CDs, performed several times on television and has provided music for such diverse events as the inauguration of Governor Ann Richards, comedienne Margaret Cho's "Cho Dependent" show, Round Rock Express baseball games, and the Geek Bowl Trivia contest. In 2019, the chorus name was changed to the Austin Gay Men's Chorus to reflect the pride of its members. Currently helmed by Artistic Director Dr. Daniel Arredondo, the Austin Gay Men's Chorus is the longest operating men's chorus in Central Texas.

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