want the chorus to go? What do you want the
sized mixed choir, men and women, dedicated
chorus to do?’ Somebody said. ‘To do a whole
to affirming peace. We’re planning a tour to
concert by memory,’ and now we’ve done that
Russia in 1991. We re just entering our third
By our choosing music that is reflective of the choral art , it's
many times. We don’t do it always. But at the
year. So that ’s a new organization, compara
time,
the
feeling
was:
‘Could
we
ever
do
that?’
I conduct choirs fora living. I make
granted a listening by a body of people who might otherwise not And another person said, ‘To be invited to sing tively.
music. Concord Choir is kind of like the one I
be prone to support gay rights as such
at the state Capitol or something like that.’ And dreamed of even as a young musician. You
we’ve done that. Someone said, “I want to do a know, that someday I could conduct a stellar
BY A N N D E E H O C H M A N
concert at the Civic Auditorium.’ This was be
mixed choir. And Concord Choir is that. We re
fore
the
Schnitz
was
ever
even
around.
I
want
just
beginning, and in another ten years the
avid York hops around the front of the
to
do
a
concert
at
the
Civic
Auditorium
and
choir will be of world-class stature. And that’s
room like a staccato quarter-note in a jazz
actually
draw
a
crowd
size
that
will
communi
possible todo here in Portland, believe it or not.
riff. He leans toward the 19 singers, rocking a
cate
that
this
choir
is
good
enough
to
attract
that
“ It’s my intention to produce, in the early
little on the balls of his feet. His hands mold the
«
sort
of
community
support.’
Now
we’ve
done
part
of 1990, a techno-pop album. It’ll be in a
sound, nursing a little more volume from the
I
that
twice
and
are
looking
to
do
it
again.
new tuning system, an unprecedented tuning
baritones, hushing the voices with the flick of a
-s.
“
That
happens
because
of
a
commitment
to
system.
It w ill be designed and written with the
flattened palm. Lean, boyish, he coaxes the
musical excellence and a commitment to get
intention of wide audience appeal. As I said,
music out with his whole body.
ting better. Not settling in, not saying, ‘That’s
techno-pop. Boogey music. Something with a
good enough. We don’t need to be doing harder
beat. Something you hear in bars, you hear on
music. We don’t need to be getting bigger
the radio. But the text would be very global-
grants or more commissions.’ But it also occurs oriented. It wouldn’t proselytize; it wouldn't
because of some administrative visioning.
‘teach peace,’ like I was saying earlier, yet that
“ The very first performance I ever conducted is what would be created from it. As opposed to
was in San Francisco, when all the west coast
creating tension or lust or infidelity or all of
‘ ‘Now listen up because this gets tricky' ’ he
choruses
came
together.
That
was
the
thrill
of
those things. I don’t want that to be interpreted
says. ‘ ‘ When there's a three-part men’s divi
my life. I thought. My gosh, I can’t believe it. as those things being “bad.’ They’re fine. That’s
sion, you three sing the top part; you three sing
This
is great.’ And then there was a national
just not what I’m about.
David York
the middle part; you two will be singing the bass
convention
in
Minneapolis.
And
Portland
was
“ The intention behind all the music I create,
part. . . Is anybody unclear about what part you sense of community that wasn’t present before
reviewed
just
beautifully.
Audience
response
perform, compose, sing, whatever, is to heal
sing in a one-part, two-part, or three-part
was
such
that
we
were
the
only
choir
that
was
we
started.
and
invigorate and vitalize and unify. It’s an
division? Okay. In English, from the
actually
called
back
onstage
after
having
“
You
can't
proselytize
peace
or
civil
illusion that we’re separate beings. And music
beginning . . . ”
completely
left.
That,
I
think,
is
a
representa
liberties.
[As
gay
men]
it's
legal
to
fire
us
and
to
is
capable of getting beyond our identities,
A few measures into the piece, the choir
tion of the spirit of PGMC. There’s a spark and getting beyond our language and just really
us and all that stuff. So by our very nature
falters; a chord curdles like sour milk. ' ‘Okay, evict
an
enthusiasm that I say comes from this
we’re
inherently
political.
But
I
think
our
bringing present the reality of our oneness. It’s
I’ll help you,’ ’ York says, and scurries behind
democracy that we’ve created here. There were
greatest effectiveness is when that is not a
a tricky thing to talk about because as soon as
the piano, walking the singers note by note
choirs
that
sang
better
than
we
did.
There
were
priority.
The
attitude
of
most
of
my
very
close
you
assign words to it you sort of mitigate the
through a difficult passage.
choirs that sang funnier stuff than we did. But
friends — and my attitude — is that the chorus
power of that reality. Music gets to it far more
York, conductor of the Portland Gay Men's
they
really
liked
Portland.
is
a
politcial
statement.
It
just
happens.
And
effectively without ever saying so. And that’s
Chorus for seven years, guides this smaller,
“
There
are
two
other
projects
that
really
that’s
not
necessarily
our
driving
force.
Our
what I’m up to. I’m up to a very large
mixed group, the Concord Choir, with preci
absorb
my
concentration
and
attention.
One
of
catalyst
really
is
the
music.
conversation.”
•
sion and humor, alternately shushing these
them
is
Concord
Choir,
which
is
a
chamber
“
It’s
interesting
to
me
that
the
PGMC
has
our
adults like a grade-school teacher, prodding
name in the phone book this year [in the glossy
them like a soccer coach, teasing them along
pages under ‘entertainment’]. Think about what
like a playground buddy.
that does for the community. I mean, that’s in
‘ 7 dare you to read some of the dynamics; l every
that’s in every church, that’s in
double-dare you to read some of the dynamics,’ ’ every bedroom,
O r e g o n ’s c o m p le te le sb ian and gay co n n e ctio n .
school. Every place there’s a phone book,
he says, and the singers rise to his good-natured the PGMC
name is written. Without saying
challenge, their voices swelling in crescendo.
anything. There’s as much meaning in
York smiles; his hands dice the air. This
‘Portland’ as in ‘chorus,’ as in “gay men.’To say
music is his work, his play, his home.
that’s not a political statement is just false. Yet.
had we created that as an intention four years
V think most musicians and artists really
ago, that we were going to get our name in the
A live, eat, drink and breathe their craft.
phone book, it would have been very unlikely to
They don’t choose it, really; it just sort of
chooses them. And they can ignore it for as long have occurred.
“ We choose good music, whatever that is.
as they want to ignore it, and then it eventually
Music that we learn from, pedagogically, to
finds its way to expression. In my case, I just
learn the discipline of the choral art. as well as
chose it from the onset. I remember being in
fun stuff. As well as stuff that we can relate to.
high school, making the decision that, you
know, if it got as bad as putting my piano in the And then we stretch in all of those areas. We’ll
Sue Standard Davis
choose music that is technically, what I think
back of a pick-up truck and playing at Fisher
some members of our organization would call,
man's Wharf in San Francisco, I will eat as a
653-7669
simplistic. Other people just love it. So it’s a
musician. I’ve always done it. There’s always
stretch for the people who consider it simplistic.
been a piano in my house; I’ve sung in church
Then we do things that are in other languages
forever, seemingly.
“ What do I learn from music? That’s a very and very modem and they're a musical
interesting question. That's a very curious ques challenge for most of the choir. That’s a stretch
I’ve built my reputation on providing the best service in the
for us, too.
tion, and the way I hear it, it would be like
“ My basic attitude is: when organizations
industry. My location has changed, but not my service.
asking, ‘What do we learn from drinking or
make
it
their
priority
to
choose
politically
eating or doing what we do, from breathing?’ I
oriented music, that’s what they communicate.
can't imagine nor doing music. I just really
I can provide you with a complete analysis of your tax situation.
And the listening audience they get, more often
can’t. I almost have to say it’s a meaningless
than not, are the people who are already
question to me. because I can’t imagine being
You’ll know if you can really afford a home before you sign the papers.
sympathetic to what they’re going to say. By
without it.
‘‘I don’t want that to be interpreted as saying our choosing music that is reflective of the
that music isn't a powerful medium. I think a lot choral art, it’s granted a listening by a body of
people who might otherwise not be prone to
of people do learn from music. For example,
MEMBER: PORTLAND’S MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
with the Gay Men’s Chorus. Recently we sang support gay rights as such.
“
The
PGMC
is
a
bona
fide
democracy.
It’s
a
for City Club. We were doing Christmas music.
unique organization, not only among the choirs
And one of them was “White Christmas.’ And
of
this city, but even among the gav chorus
you could tell by the audience’s body postures
— at least, it’s my interpretation — that at first network. There are better men's choruses in the
there was some “ tolerance” in hearing us. Like gay network, in the nation. There are bigger
it wasn’t necessarily their ideal to be sitting two ones. There are richer ones. But as far as impact
on the community and being a political cnuing
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days before Christmas listening to a bunch of
edge
and
a
really
joyful
fraternity
for
parti
gay men singing. And yet, I know they were
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P R O P E R TIE S
changed after that performance. The men were cipants and rendering a fine musical product.
I think Portland makes a tremendou> difference
really jazzed. We were in good form. And I
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comparable to any of the other big cities in
could tell by the reception after our per
Portland, Oregon 97216
the nation,
formance that real communication occurred,
“ I remember a brainstorming session some
far beyond the text that we sang. Far beyond
four
or five years back, asking, ‘Where do you
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. There was a real
David York: musician
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