Links
Gay Abandon loves performing with other choirs and meeting other singers. Here are a few of our friends from around the world.
Performing in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, as part of the Various Voices festival, May 05. Photo: Dave Edwards
Singing with our Friends the Pink Singers, London Dec 06. Photo: Mark Weeks.
International
The international association of the lesbian and gay choral movement is the US-based GALA, representing about 200 choruses and their 10,000 singers; their site has links to many member and non-member choir pages. Nearer to home, LEGATO - LEsbians and GAys singing TOgether - is the European equivalent; we sang at their Various Voices festivals in Berlin (2001) and Paris (2005).
A special mention goes to our friends Sang und Klang Los! from Leeds' twin-city of Dortmund, who came to sing with us in 2001.
National
We're members of Sing Out, the association of gay and lesbian choirs in the UK and Ireland, and of the National Association of Choirs. You'll also find us listed along with a tremendous variety of groups at British Choirs on the Net.
We've enjoyed joint concerts - with us as guests of other choirs, or their visiting us - with various choruses, including the Pink Singers (London), Sang und Klang Los! (Dortmund), Rainbow Voices (Birmingham), Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus, The Deep C Divas (whose members include some of our members too).
Local
Astonishingly, Leeds has two LGB choirs. Well, sort of. The Sacred Wing is basically those of us who are up for singing big masses and requiems and suchlike, together with some broadminded straight friends. A gig every December, and it's a wowser.
Non-choir
The best guide to the local queer scene is Shout! - Yorkshire's monthly lesbian, gay and bisexual magazine. For more general information, try Leeds BBC or the Leeds City Council website. And our local concerts now take place at The Venue, Leeds College of Music.