“Audiences can expect a program that contains some of our greatest hits over our 35-year history,” Knight explains. On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the FTLGMC will have a 35th anniversary celebration concert entitled Why We Sing! at United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale, located at 2501 NE 30th St. “Just our existence is a political statement. “Changing hearts and minds – the chorus did it and they are still doing it today,” Keating says. The more well-known the chorus became, people began to change their minds about the gay community. We created a culture and an environment where people who are in the gay community or support the gay community can have a home and be artistic.” The impact that we’ve had on the community being South Florida’s first performing arts organization, we’ve paved the way for all the others that exist now. “I was also joining a family, a brotherhood where we could share that experience of creating music together. “I have musical experience in my background and I was interested in exploring that and having an artistic outlet again,” he explains. Knight joined the FTLGMC 15 years ago when he was new to and introduced to the chorus through friends.
“We sang at 31 funerals for our members, plus some other services for gay community leaders who died of AIDS,” Keating recalls. In addition to sold out concerts, the FTLGMC also sang at several funerals during its early years.
We had to turn people away for every concert for the first four years.” Our first concerts, one at Gusman/Olympia Theater in Miami and Parker a week later were oversold. So, it just hit me that this could be a great thing for our community, and it turned out to be true. We were still recovering from Anita Bryant. I have a Masters in choral conducting and wasn’t using it, and there wasn’t anything really happening in South Florida. It was totally sold out, and the proud response of the audience was overwhelming. “I was walking by Carnegie Hall and there were posters for the NYCGMC,” he says. Our job is to bring communities together.”Īccording to Keating, a business trip in New York City inspired him to start the FTLGMC. There’s as much need now, if not more than ever, because people feel so isolated and our community is under the same attacks we’ve been dealing with for the past 35 years. We’ve heard feedback that people think that the concept of a chorus is outdated, but in a lot of ways, we are still serving the same purpose that we always have. “Like everyone, we are coming out of a very difficult period right now with COVID, and then losing a member and dealing with the difficulties that happened at Stonewall Pride a year ago, we are very happy to celebrate our 35-year history and we are looking towards the future. “This is a very exciting time,” FTLGMC President Justin Knight says. Together, they have built one of the most vibrant LGBTQ communities in the world. Gary Keating during the uncertainty and tragedy of the early AIDS era, the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus (FTLGMC) became the first established gay performing arts organization in the state of Florida.Ĭelebrating its 35th anniversary, the chorus continues to help its audiences and members thrive and flourish.