When he helped start the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus (RGMC) in 1982, David Knoll wanted to foster not just a chorus but a community.
Inspired by the gay choruses then developing in San Francisco and New York City, he wanted to help to create something similar here. The enthusiastic group that took shape quickly provided “a great alternative for meeting and socializing with other gay men, a chance to exercise our love for singing together, making music that reflected our unique view of the world, and expressing pride in the diverse and talented community we live in,” says Knoll.
When the group held its first rehearsal in the living room of one of its five founding members, those men likely could not have imagined how successfully their goals would continue to flourish forty-two years later as one of New York’s longest-standing LGBTQ+ organizations.
One of the RGMC’s newest members, Patrick Casey, performed in his first concert with the group last December and says he quickly found that family-like sense of belonging shortly after moving to Rochester from Long Island. Having been involved in choirs throughout high school and college, Casey saw the RGMC perform at a Rochester Red Wings “Pride Night” game and felt inspired to get involved, combining his love of music with his search for friends in his new city.
“It’s a very challenging thing being a gay man and trying to find community. You’re always kind of on guard when you’re in new places or with new groups—do I feel comfortable being myself, being totally open?” Casey says. But, with the RGMC, “I didn’t have to pretend to be someone. I could just be myself, and everyone was so accepting. It’s a total family, and I’m very happy to be part of it.”
Like Casey, Nicholas Schramm, who not only is a singing member but also served as co-chair of the chorus’s board of directors last season, was pleasantly surprised to find a group of people who shared his love of music and who would allow him to be true to his identity. He hadn’t yet come out when he first heard about the RGMC, and he remembers thinking, “Oh, wow, they have an entire chorus dedicated to this community—maybe this world is more accepting. There’s a place I can be both.”
The chorus provides a welcoming space not just for gay men but for everyone—all identities, all faiths, all backgrounds.
“The inclusion of women, trans men, and heterosexual men at times over the years has expanded the definition of what it means to be ‘gay’ and ‘gay-friendly’ and highlights the commonalities we share—a desire to be accepted as ourselves, proudly and openly,” says Knoll.
One such current member is Evan Dorscheid, who was looking for community when beginning their transition in 2022.
“I identify as a transmasculine, nonbinary lesbian,” Dorscheid says. “I can be that there, and they’re perfectly accepting of it. I can show up, be myself, and not have to follow anyone’s rules. I belong no matter what my identity is.”
Dorscheid is a dancer as well as a singer, performing with the RGMC’s dance troupe, the Rochettes, which they’ve found to be another helpful avenue for expressing themselves.
“It’s more than just a community,” they say. “It’s an opportunity to be visible and be heard, without any sense of pressure to conform. And to bring that authenticity boldly out to the audience and the greater Rochester community so they can see how fabulous we are.”
For Schramm, stepping into the spotlight didn’t come all that naturally. Despite having performed in groups for years, he describes himself as shy.
“The chorus has really helped me with that,” he says. “It’s helped me develop self-confidence.”
Getting involved with the board last year added another avenue for his ideas and enthusiasm.
“It’s been a great experience to contribute to the community—to affect people who are not only in the LGBTQ+ community but the larger Rochester community,” says Schramm. “I want to help ensure the tradition of the chorus continues so that others have the opportunity to experience that.”
This sense of tradition, an enduring influence, leads Knoll to reflect on the chorus’s humble beginnings and how much it has grown. He and his partner have continued to perform with the group throughout its four decades.
“I’m proud that the RGMC is still making music and friendships, forty-two years on!” says Knoll. “I am hopeful that it will be around for many years to come, and that it can continue to be a place where LGBTQ+ people and their allies can find a welcoming community and a place to sing and to be heard. I am grateful that I live in Rochester, a community that allowed me to be myself in a world that is not always so welcoming for LGBTQ+ people.”
Having been new to town, Casey appreciated that chorus rehearsals offered a built-in weekly social gathering—a regular chance to check in with others, learn from them, and build relationships.
“This is something I look forward to every single week,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone who’s looking for community.”
The chorus is always looking for new voices and volunteers as well as new fans in the audience. Learn more at thergmc.org, 423-0650, or the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus page on Facebook.
RGMC 2024–2025 concert season:
HoliGAY Spectacular
Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 8, 2024, at 3 p.m.
Divas of Empowerment
Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
It’s a Jungle Out There!
Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
All performances held at Hochstein Performance Hall 50 N. Plymouth Ave., Rochester
Tickets and details at thergmc.org
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of (585).
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