Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus
The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) is a choral organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1981, it is one of the oldest gay men's choruses in the United States, and is a cultural fixture in Philadelphia. The Chorus is affiliated with the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA). The Chorus has performed with the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware and the Anna Crusis Women's Choir, and has participated in several GALA festivals. The chorus is currently under the artistic direction of Joseph J. Buches. History The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus traces its history to 1981, when founder Gerald Davis and three other members toured Philly's gay bars at Christmastime, singing carols. The chorus gave its first official concert performance on April 25, 1982, at the DCA club (now Voyeur) in Philadelphia. PGMC grew modestly but steadily throughout the 1980s. In 1987, it performed outside Philadelphia for the first time in a joint concert with the Baltimore Gay Men's Chorus. Three years later, PGMC performed for the first time at the historic Academy of Music along with "HeartStrings", a national AIDS benefit concert tour that featured Sandy Duncan and Jason Bateman. The Chorus incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization on