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Aeolian Pride Choruses

OUR MISSION

Aeolian Pride Choruses London create experiences through choral music that promotes community, diversity, inclusivity and excellence. The choruses are open to all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. With the goal of combatting stereotypes and perceptions, we challenge the heteronormative worldview by inspiring our audience, the Pride community and our broader community through advocacy and music. We celebrate victories won, we mourn lives lost, we find unconditional acceptance, and we celebrate all life in harmony, through our songs.

OUR VISION

We will celebrate those who came before us and whose activism was hard fought. United through song, our voices will be freely heard as we fight for a nation and world where diversity is met with tolerance, equality and respect.

Pride Choruses London envisions a world where the human voice is lifted up through song in celebration of diversity; where music is valued as a powerful gift and seen as a universal tool to achieve and sustain inclusivity; and where united voices are an instrument of change.

Aeolian PRIDE CHORUSes WILL SEEK TO:

• Continuously improve the artistic and vocal talent of its members.
• Challenge the societal norms or perceptions of its members through understanding of its own diversity.
• Challenge perceptions of the Pride community.
• Combat fear, eliminate hatred, and encourage compassion through the timeless fundamental human connection to music.
• Change or enrich the hearts of those whom we meet.

WELCOME

Singing in a choir is a powerful experience and expression of community.  The Aeolian is proud to offer this experience as an inclusive undertaking with its Pride Choruses.

Pride Chorus London

Treble/High Voices

Pride Chorus London (Treble/High Voices) is a new exciting initiative broadening The Aeolian’s offering of a Pride Chorus for all.  The initiative begins February 5th, 2023.

pride Chorus London

(Lower Voices)

Pride Chorus London (Lower Voices) was founded in 2016 and is a program of the Aeolian Hall. PMCL was the 2018 recipient of the Forest City London Music Award Best Classical Vocal (Choir/Group).

More than 40 people sing in the chorus, and those with all levels of musical knowledge are invited to join us. Pride Chorus London (Lower Voices) is part of a movement of LGBTQ2 Choirs in the world.  The Chorus made its unexpected debut at the Vigil for The Orlando Massacre hosted at Aeolian Hall on June 14, 2016. In the global arena of eroding human rights and particularly the rights of the 2SLGBTQ2+AI community, we sing to enlighten and help those with closed minds and hearts to open up and celebrate diversity and love.

Pride Chorus London creates experiences through choral music that promote community, inclusiveness and excellence.  With the goal of combatting stereotypes and perceptions, we challenge the heteronormative worldview by inspiring our audience, the LGBTQ2 community and our broader community through advocacy and music. We celebrate victories won, we mourn lives lost, we find unconditional acceptance, and we celebrate all life in harmony, through our songs.

“Pride Chorus is more than just a chorus.  

They are a family of great people who have come together to take care of each other while entertaining others.”
~Jason Plant

 

JOIN A chorus

We are accepting new members for our 2024-2025 Season. New and renewing members are required to complete the Membership Agreement Form for 2024-2025 by clicking  JOIN NOW after reviewing the Terms of Membership and the Aeolian COVID-19 Policy below.

Terms of Agreement for Aeolian Pride Choruses London 2024-2025

Terms-of-Agreement-for-Aeolian-Pride-Choruses-London-2024-2025

Interested in taking part, but not quite sure? Want to ask questions or chat with a Choir member first? Does your star power need a bit of encouragement?  Contact us for more information: pridechoruses@theaeolian.ca

Volunteer Team

For information about rehearsals, performances and attendance, text volunteer Andrew Kaszowski: 519-520-9497

Maggie Perquin:  volunteer librarian

INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS

 

Our founding co-director and accompanist Clark Bryan talks about how The Chorus London was formed as a program of Aeolian Hall, its vision and its its important role in breaking down stigmas and barriers and hatred by shining a light on the Pride community’s vitality and contributions to the world we live in through the power of music.

 

Bass singer Andrew Kaszowski talks about how Pride Chorus London is a perfect intersection of music and community, how it has helped him become even more comfortable with his own identity, and how the chorus serves as an agent of positive social change by connecting the Pride community with the local and global community.

 

Our founding co-director and conductor Rod Culham talks about how Pride Chorus London was formed, its vision and its unique attribute of being open to men of all gender and sexual identities.

 

 

 

QUARANTINE PERFORMANCE of 2020

 

In 2016, Pride Chorus London came together on stage for the first time ever to show love and support for the community after the horrific events in Pulse in Orlando. The first song we performed during that vigil was the 1969 hit from The Hollies: “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. This year, some of our choir members decided to take on a different challenge and perform the same song from our first concert – this time with a camera, a microphone and completely alone on stage. In a year that has taken so much, we wanted to give back to our community in London and around the world by echoing the feeling of this song and say that no matter what you are going through, we are here for you.

Although the song was written with gender-specific lyrics, our intention by singing this goes beyond gender, orientations, sex or anything that might seem to separate us: these 18 voices come together today to show we are strong and more together than ever. Let’s begin a New Year with the intention of practicing true love for one another, like this beautiful song says.

Words by: Bob Russell

Music by: Bobby Scott

Copyright 1969 Harrison Music Company

Arranged by Bobby Buchanan for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angels

Used by permission of the Arranger

fun, sometimes thought-provoking, but when all those voices come together in concert, there is something truly beautiful and inspiring that happens, and it is a huge privilege to be a part of that beauty.”
~ Murray Watson

 

WATCH OUR DOCUMENTARY

 

“We’re Here and We’re (Mostly) Queer!”

Filmed and Created by Jason Plant.

pride celebration chorus

The Pride Celebration Chorus is an all-gender choir, comprised of singers singing in four parts: Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass. We debuted in Pride London Festival 2018 and had an outstanding concert, and sang again during the 2019 Festival!

Our next performance is
July 18th, 2024 at 8 p.m.


PMCL in the Media

Meet the London chorus changing hearts one song at a time

CBC, July 25, 2019

We Won’t Be Erased London: Rally for trans and intersex rights, PMCL attends

Western Gazette, November 16, 2018

Artistic Director, Co-Founder

An award-winning concert pianist, Clark has performed internationally, recorded 14 CD’s and has been featured on radio and television. As a teacher, he has taught thousands of students, adjudicated more than 50 music festivals coast to coast in Canada, given dozens of workshops and written a book “Gateways to Learning and Memory”.

The founder of The Aeolian Performing Arts Centre, Clark believes that everyone should have universal access to music, art and culture. Because of this belief, he launched El Sistema Aeolian in 2011. This free, intensive music program has offered more than 150 children and youth an opportunity to experience the joy of a rich musical education.

Clark is engaged in community activism and speaks regularly at events, on radio and television and has given a TED talk about the power and joy of music study.

Teacher, Conductor

Andrew Rethazi was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, and had a very musical and artistic childhood. His schooling was primarily through the Claude Watson School for the Arts program, where he was able to gain an appreciation for many different arts endeavours. He took private lessons in piano, violin, viola, trombone, and voice at various times in his youth, culminating in the achievement of his A.R.C.T. in piano performance at the age of 16. This was followed closely by high-level achievements in voice and viola.

As a child and youth, Andrew sang in a number of choirs, most notably the Toronto Children’s Chorus under the direction of Jean Ashworth Bartle. During his time with the TCC, he toured to the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as an extensive tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1999. Both of these tours were to participate in world choral festivals, which furthered his appreciation for arts of different cultures. As an adult, Andrew has sung with the Ontario Youth Choir, the Church of St. John’s in Elora, and at St. George’s Anglican Church in London.

Andrew received his Honours Bachelor of Music in voice performance with Honours from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2009, under the teaching of Kimberly Barber. His Master of Music followed in 2011 from the University of Western Ontario under the teaching of Todd Wieczorek. Continuing at the University of Western Ontario, he received his Doctor of Musical Arts in voice in 2018, with a monograph entitled “Teaching Prospective Verdi Baritones: A Repertoire-Based Approach.”

During his time at the University of Western Ontario, Andrew has been active in the local theatre community, both as a director and as a musical director. He has worked especially closely with Original Kids Theatre Company and MTP London, realizing musical and stage visions for over 40 titles.

Andrew has also appeared on a variety of stages in both operatic and musical theatre productions. He has appeared in London, Toronto, Waterloo, Edmonton, and in Lucca, Italy, where he portrayed the title role in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi for AEDO Milan. A full history of his roles can be found on the Production History page.

Andrew maintains a private voice studio out of his home in London, Ontario, Canada, and has been a full member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing since 2014.

In Performance:

pride festival productions

July 25, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Performance:

pride festival productions

July 26, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Performance:

spring productions

april 27, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Performance:

spring productions

april 28, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Performance:

spring productions

april 22, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

In Performance:

Holiday productions

December 2, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCERTS & TICKETS

Sunday, December 1, 2024

Sunday, May 4, 2025

 

Watch www.aeolianhall.ca/events and our social media for announcements and on-sale dates or subscribe to the weekly Aeolian Newsletter to be the first to know!

 

 

 

Pride Choruses Application Form

I wish to join the following Aeolian Pride Choruses:
Pride Chorus London (lower voices)and Pride Chorus London (treble/higher voices) join together for some of their singing repertoire as a SATB Chorus (Pride Celebration Choir) throughout the year for each concert and rehearsal. The Summer Pride Celebration Chorus is also open to those not participating during the rest of the year.
I have read the Membership Agreement and I agree to all the Terms and Conditions for membership in Pride Choruses London. Note: this includes an agreement to allow images and recordings of myself, with the choir, to be made public (on our web pages and social media as well as print). Terms and Conditions can be read online https://aeolianhall.ca/aeolian-pride-choruses/
As well as being a singing member of the choruses, I wish to volunteer my services to help with the mission and vision of the Choir in the following areas listed below:
I wish to be a non-singing member of the choruses and volunteer my services to help with the mission and vision of the Choir in the following areas listed below:
Fee: The choruses has an annual membership fee of $120 for 2024-2025. This doesn't include the summer Pride session. Payment information is detailed in the Terms of Agreement. For members joining after January 1st, the fee is $60.00. For members joining for just the Summer Pride Celebration Chorus, the fee is $40.00 These fees only cover a fraction of the cost of operating the choir. The rest of the costs are raised through fundraising activities by Aeolian Hall. The Aeolian strives to be an inclusive organization. For those who are experiencing financial stress, we can reduce or waive the fee. Fees can be paid in person at Aeolian Hall, by cheque to "AHMAA" or by e-transfer to: accounting@theaeolian.ca

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While particularly renowned for its acoustic/live music presentations, the Aeolian is a versatile facility and can also host conferences and fundraisers.

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