The Gateway Men's Chorus History
Since its inaugural performance titled "One Voice" in April 1988, with
only 22 singers, the Gateway Men's Chorus has become, in the words of
The Riverfront Times, "an arts phenomenon". Music Director Michael Cohrs
founded the Chorus in the fall of 1987. GMC grew both in size and artistry
under the artistic direction of James Nacy, who led the Chorus for five
years from September 1990. Since then GMC has performed a full season
series of three major concerts each year.
Jeffrey Maynard took the reins as Artistic Director in the summer of 1996
and provided the Chorus with a strong focus on vocal technique and musicianship.
The Chorus took the Powell Hall stage in October 1996 in "St. Louis Sings".
June of 1997 saw one of the Chorus' greatest successes in a joint performance
of "NakedMan" with the Heartland Men's Chorus of Kansas City. In June
1998 GMC returned to Powell Hall to record "Monuments", the first commercial
CD. The following summer the Chorus brought author Armistead Maupin to
St. Louis to narrate his "Music for Michael Mouse: Songs Inspired by 'Tales
of the City'."
In June 2001, Merry Keller, Director of CHARIS, the St. Louis Women's
Chorus directed GMC and CHARIS together in the very moving "Sing for the
Cure", a benefit for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Also
in 2001 the Gateway Men's Chorus concluded a nationwide search for its
new Artistic Director, naming Merry Keller its first full-time Director
in November 2001. Keller has, to date, led the men through five highly
successful and musically diverse concerts: "Life is a Cabaret", "The Crystal
Celebration" - GMC's 15th Anniversary Concert, and "A St. Louis Holiday"
in 2002. "Singing for our Lives. Expressions of Hope" and "Broadway Bound!"
were two very different concerts that delighted audiences in 2003. "A
Saint Louis Holiday" was recorded live and in the studio and is now available
for sale. In February 2003 the Chorus made a special appearance with internationally
renowned soloist Ann Hampton Callaway in a benefit concert for AMC Cancer
Research Center.
The Gateway Men's Chorus has become one of the most successful and long-lived
performing arts organizations in St. Louis. GMC is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3)
corporation governed by a 12 member Board of Directors. More importantly,
though, GMC has stayed true to its mission of producing beautiful male
choral music and of presenting a positive image of gay men to the entire
St. Louis community. Recognizing the impact the Chorus has on the local
arts community, the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis accepted
the group as a member in 1994. Financial support has been received from
the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, the Arts and
Education Council, the William A. Kerr Foundation, and the Gateway Foundation,
as well as from corporations including American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and General American Insurance.
GMC's Twenty-Second Season continues on December 12 & 13, 2008 with
"Peace On Earth"
at Union Avenue Christian Church.