Singing Out. Changing Hearts.
Spreading happiness through song
Pride Choruses are part of a movement of Pride Choirs in the world. In 1978 San Francisco’s Gay Men’s Chorus made an unexpected debut after the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone. Pride Chorus London made its unexpected debut at the Vigil for The Orlando Massacre hosted at Aeolian Hall on June 14th 2016. In the global arena of eroding human rights and particularly the rights of the Pride community, we sing to enlighten and help those with closed minds and hearts open up to celebrate diversity and love.
Our Mission
Pride Men’s Chorus London creates experiences through choral music that promotes community, diversity, inclusivity and excellence. The chorus is open to all men 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 LGBT2Q communities 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.
The Pride Men’s Chorus 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.
The Pride Men’s Chorus 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 LGBTQ2 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 2023-2023 Season. New and renewing members are required to complete the Membership Agreement Form for 2022-2023 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 2022-2023
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? Complete this online form and we will connect with you as soon as possible!
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.
Tenor singer Scotty D. talks about how Pride Chorus London is an important part of giving back to the London, Ontario community and how it affects the Pride and straight community in a really positive way.
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
read our fact sheet
“The Pride Chorus has challenged me musically, and rewarded me personally. The repertoire is often 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 20, 2023, 8:00 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
Get social with us
To learn more about the Pride Men’s Chorus London, to hear about our concerts, and to be part of our special moments, follow us online.
Clark Bryan
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER, PIANIST
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.
ANDREW RETHAZI
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.
tom corken
assistant cONDUCTOR
Thomas Corken is a graduate student at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University in London, Ontario. Thomas received a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from McMaster University and the University of Toronto. Thomas is an experienced teacher and choral conductor, having served as a section lead and tutor for the Hamilton Children’s Choir, Ilumini (Senior) Choir and the Lads and Gents Choir. Thomas has been co-director of Profunda (Hamilton Children’s Choir) and Music Director of the McMaster University Advent Celebration. He is currently the Assistant Conductor of the St. Cecilia Singers at Western University.
A tenor, Thomas has performed with numerous ensembles including the McMaster University Choir where he had the opportunity to perform Terry Riley’s Sun Rings with the Kronos Quartet; the MacMillan Singers under the direction of Dr. Hilary Apferstadt; the University of Toronto Men’s Chorus with Dr. Andre Heywood; and the Wilfrid Laurier University Concert Choir where he also was the piano accompanist for the premier performance of Peter Wiegold’s Perfumes of the Desert.
Thomas has been honoured to receive the Sharon Reeves Scholarship for noble standing, the John Frances Bowling School Award for excellence in music, and the Margaret Dixon Academic Grant.
Thomas is excited to join the Pride Chorus London in their 6th season and be part of the London music community.
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
May 28, 2023, 3:00 p.m.
July 20, 2023, 8:00 p.m.
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!
Stars & Angels featuring Heather Bambrick
December 1, 2019
STAND! A Pride Celebration
July 25 & 26, 2019
DIVAS!
April 27, 2019
making spirits bright
December 1, 2018
a pride celebration
July 26, 2018
out on broadway
December 26, 2018
broadway bound
April 28, 2018
the most fabulous time of the year
December 9, 2017
Sing Out Proud
July 27, 2017
beautiful happy proud
April 22, 2017
we shall overcome: world aids day
November 20, 2016
debut: the pride men’s chorus
July 21, 2016
London Vigil for the Orlando LGBT Club Massacre
June 14, 2016
Pride Men’s Chorus London had the sad honour of singing at the London Vigil on June 14, 2016 for the victims of the Orlando LGBT club massacre. We sang “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” “We Shall Overcome/Lean On Me,” and “Rise Again.”
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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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