How We Got Our Start
After directing a mixed chorus at Gay Games III in Vancouver, British Columbia, Carol White dreamed of returning to Denver and forming a mixed chorus here. With a small group of dedicated men and women, Harmony: a Colorado chorale was founded in September of 1991 with Carol as the artistic director. That first season, Harmony attracted some 85 members. In the summer of 1992, GALA IV was held in Denver and Harmony made it's debut in the international organization with 142 voices. At that time, Harmony was one of only five or six mixed choruses in GALA.
In the fall of 1992, Amendment 2 was passed in Colorado, making it illegal for the state or any local government to enact laws protecting citizens from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Harmony responded with a series of concerts aimed at bridging the gap between our community and the straight community. One of the best received concerts at this time was the performance of David Maddux's Boys and Girls with Stories, in the fall of 1993.
Under the direction of Vickie Burrichter, Harmony commissioned the writing of Fire, based on the actual experiences of men and women in Colorado following the passage of Amendment 2. Excerpts of Fire were performed at GALA V (1996) in Tampa, FL.
Lee Ann Bryce became the third artistic director of Harmony in 1998 staying until 2002 when she left Colorado to pursue a career in ministry in New York and later Texas. Lee Ann lead Harmony at GALA VI (2000) in San Jose, CA and took Harmony on its first road trip in 2002. Bill Loper took over as AD in 2003 and in 2004 Harmony performed its first full-scale musical, Letters Home, written by local singer/actress/playwright, Kelley Zinge. Excerpts, including costumes were performed at GALA VII (2004) in Montreal. Bill also produced Harmony's second musical, Fairly Tall Tales from Never Never Land (also written by Kelley Zinge) and led concerts dealing with same-sex marriage and songs of the spirit. In 2006, Harmony's commitment to the LGBTQ community was recognized by the Colorado Business Council and was awarded the Non-profit of the Year.
Under the direction of Bill Loper, the fourth artistic director, wonderful concert offerings continued through the years; The Big Gay Holiday Sing-In with Nuclia Waste; Love, Art, and Chocolate; our third musical by Kelley Zinge, Magic; Global Harmony; Singing Outside the Box; Broadway Bound; Brrrrring In The Holidays; 20 Years in Harmony; Hers and Herstory; Winter Nights; collaboration with the Mile High Freedom Band for Pride In The Park; a second road-trip to New Mexico to perform, The Summer of Love; collaborations with local favorite Hazel Miller, folk-singer Jenna Lindbo, and Judy Fjell; countless outreach concerts with Harmony as well as our small group, Harmonix.
In 2016 during the GALA Festival in Denver (for a second time in a row) Harmony joined the other Colorado GALA Choruses in the Galleria of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts to perform a commissioned piece, Mountains and Rivers, written and directed by Nathan Hall. In May of 2017, Harmony worked with The Tyler Clementi Foundation and Tim Seelig, artistic director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, to perform the Colorado debut of Tyler's Suite. This work was nine-part musical commissioned piece by nine contemporary composers and dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, an 18 year-old musician who died by suicide after being bullied by his college roommate. Members of Harmony traveled to New York City in June 2017 to join members of 17 other choruses from around the world and under the direction of Tim Seelig to perform Tyler's Suite on the stage of the David Geffen Theater in Lincoln Center. It was a once in a lifetime event for everyone.
In 2018 Harmony embarked on a journey of enlightenment by performing the commissioned piece, Man Behind The Dream, the story of Bayard Rustin. Bayard Rustin was the civil rights activist who taught Martin Luther King, Jr. about non-violent protest and was the guiding force behind the August 28, 1963 March on Washington.
In 2019, under the direction of our current Artistic Director, Joy Jenkins, Harmony was given a fantastic opportunity to celebrate diversity and inclusion by performing at the Denver Pepsi Center with Hugh Jackman. Another once in a lifetime event for the members of Harmony: a Colorado chorale.
In the fall of 1992, Amendment 2 was passed in Colorado, making it illegal for the state or any local government to enact laws protecting citizens from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Harmony responded with a series of concerts aimed at bridging the gap between our community and the straight community. One of the best received concerts at this time was the performance of David Maddux's Boys and Girls with Stories, in the fall of 1993.
Under the direction of Vickie Burrichter, Harmony commissioned the writing of Fire, based on the actual experiences of men and women in Colorado following the passage of Amendment 2. Excerpts of Fire were performed at GALA V (1996) in Tampa, FL.
Lee Ann Bryce became the third artistic director of Harmony in 1998 staying until 2002 when she left Colorado to pursue a career in ministry in New York and later Texas. Lee Ann lead Harmony at GALA VI (2000) in San Jose, CA and took Harmony on its first road trip in 2002. Bill Loper took over as AD in 2003 and in 2004 Harmony performed its first full-scale musical, Letters Home, written by local singer/actress/playwright, Kelley Zinge. Excerpts, including costumes were performed at GALA VII (2004) in Montreal. Bill also produced Harmony's second musical, Fairly Tall Tales from Never Never Land (also written by Kelley Zinge) and led concerts dealing with same-sex marriage and songs of the spirit. In 2006, Harmony's commitment to the LGBTQ community was recognized by the Colorado Business Council and was awarded the Non-profit of the Year.
Under the direction of Bill Loper, the fourth artistic director, wonderful concert offerings continued through the years; The Big Gay Holiday Sing-In with Nuclia Waste; Love, Art, and Chocolate; our third musical by Kelley Zinge, Magic; Global Harmony; Singing Outside the Box; Broadway Bound; Brrrrring In The Holidays; 20 Years in Harmony; Hers and Herstory; Winter Nights; collaboration with the Mile High Freedom Band for Pride In The Park; a second road-trip to New Mexico to perform, The Summer of Love; collaborations with local favorite Hazel Miller, folk-singer Jenna Lindbo, and Judy Fjell; countless outreach concerts with Harmony as well as our small group, Harmonix.
In 2016 during the GALA Festival in Denver (for a second time in a row) Harmony joined the other Colorado GALA Choruses in the Galleria of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts to perform a commissioned piece, Mountains and Rivers, written and directed by Nathan Hall. In May of 2017, Harmony worked with The Tyler Clementi Foundation and Tim Seelig, artistic director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, to perform the Colorado debut of Tyler's Suite. This work was nine-part musical commissioned piece by nine contemporary composers and dedicated to the memory of Tyler Clementi, an 18 year-old musician who died by suicide after being bullied by his college roommate. Members of Harmony traveled to New York City in June 2017 to join members of 17 other choruses from around the world and under the direction of Tim Seelig to perform Tyler's Suite on the stage of the David Geffen Theater in Lincoln Center. It was a once in a lifetime event for everyone.
In 2018 Harmony embarked on a journey of enlightenment by performing the commissioned piece, Man Behind The Dream, the story of Bayard Rustin. Bayard Rustin was the civil rights activist who taught Martin Luther King, Jr. about non-violent protest and was the guiding force behind the August 28, 1963 March on Washington.
In 2019, under the direction of our current Artistic Director, Joy Jenkins, Harmony was given a fantastic opportunity to celebrate diversity and inclusion by performing at the Denver Pepsi Center with Hugh Jackman. Another once in a lifetime event for the members of Harmony: a Colorado chorale.
