Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota will celebrate its 15th anniversary as a revered gay-friendly Southwest Florida chorus by presenting “From Gershwin to GALA' at the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center at Holley Hall on May 19.
If it seems hard to believe that Diversity is already celebrating 15 years”you're not alone. The history of the chorus explains why the singers feel like they're in a time warp. David Phillips, executive director of the chorus and a charter member, explains how the milestone has already been reached.
“I joined when the chorus began back in 1997,” Phillips says. “Back then it was called The Gulf Coast Men's Chorus. We combined with Harmony: The Women's Voices of Sarasota in 2008, becoming Diversity.”
Phillips says that Diversity holds auditions throughout the year and invites interested, potential members to visit the chorus's website at DiversitySarasota.org.
Phillips said he was attracted to the chorus in the 1990s because he has studied music his entire life.
“After I retired, I moved to Florida and auditioned,” he says.
The concert will be a preview of Diversity's performance at the 2012 GALA Chorus Festival held in Denver, Colo. this summer. GALA, an international association of LGBT choir groups, holds such a festival every four years, attracting 180 singing groups and 5,000 singers from around the world. In the past, Diversity has participated in GALA festivals in Montreal and in New York City at Carnegie Hall.
Artistic Director Derek Edward Weston plans to commemorate Diversity's role in GALA by selecting pieces for the Holly Hall performance that illustrate how the chorus has evolved over the last 15 years.
“Through this journey, the music has changed from the songs of the civil rights movement to some of the inspirational projects that are commissioned by GALA Choruses today,” Weston states.
Diversity is comprised of more than 50 male and female singers, gay and straight alike. Phillips feels the combination of fellowship and talent from every walk of life is what gives the choral group its edge.
“We have rehearsals every Tuesday night,” Phillips explains. “The Artist Director preselects the material and hands out the sheet music. We rehearse at St. Andrews Church and each rehearsal lasts about two hours.”
That weekly rehearsal will come in handy when the chorus takes the stage of Holly Hall. Phillips says the chorus is preparing everything from George Gershwin staples to Cole Porter numbers.
“We're also singing “What a Wonderful World' by Nat King Cole,” Phillips says. “Then we have songs like “Singing For Our Lives' and “The Great Peace March' by Holly Near. Plus we have excerpts from West Side Story. The selections are comprised of tearjerkers and some songs for laughs. The Diverse Experience, a core group of 10 people within the chorus, will have some special selections as well.”
While the local concert is to thank fans and celebrate 15 years of music in Sarasota, this summer's GALA is where the chorus' collective focus lies. Memories of past GALAs make Phillips more excited about the 2012 event.
“There are thousands of singers there, and each chorus gets a half-hour to perform,” Phillips explains. “It's a great, big event held in huge concert halls. There's a tremendous amount of camaraderie when the chorus performs. It's an amazing experience, and I feel honored to be a part of it.”
