Image courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
San Francisco has always been a city of firsts. It boasts the first Earth Day, the first successful cable car, and the first gay pride flag. Not surprisingly, it has also led the way for openly gay choruses in the United States through the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
For nearly 50 years, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) has been a voice of change, offering courage, visibility, and hope—even in the darkest of times. And in times like these, their role as a source of light feels as essential as ever.
Founded amid the gay rights movement, SFGMC was the world’s first openly gay male chorus. What began as a local act of visibility soon grew into a global model for LGBTQ+ choral activism, as the chorus weathered the AIDS crisis while consistently championing community, artistry, and social justice.
Image courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
SFGMC was created in 1978 by Jon Reed Sims, inspired by Harvey Milk’s call for gay people to live openly and unapologetically. Its first performance—singing in the Gay Freedom Day Parade—celebrated a community that had long been repressed. Days later, in a profound moment of activism, the chorus sang at the candlelight vigil for Milk and George Moscone on the steps of City Hall, becoming a collective voice of resistance.
“We continue to keep that legacy alive by never minimizing ourselves, never treating the deep moments of our lives with shallowness,” says Jacob Stensberg, SFGMC’s artistic director.
For Stensberg, telling the stories of the LGBTQ+ community through music isn’t just about remembering them; it’s a way of ensuring they aren’t lost. Much of queer history has been passed down person to person, and without that continuity, stories risk being forgotten or rewritten. Through music, the chorus keeps those narratives alive, transforming history into a shared, embodied experience.
Image courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
“Something happens when we sing,” Stensberg says. “There’s this thread in the air that ties our singers to our audiences, to all those who came before us and all those who will come after us.”
Today, the chorus includes approximately 280 active singers, supported by a staff of eight and roughly 100 volunteers at any given performance. For Stensberg, however, the chorus extends beyond those onstage to the broader community it serves. “We had 20,000 people buy tickets to our holiday show, and I consider all of them to be part of our SFGMC community,” he says.
The chorus consists of two tenor sections, baritones, basses, and what it refers to as the fifth section, which honors all departed members from the last 48 years, many of whom succumbed to HIV/AIDS.
Before every concert, the chorus prints the name of each departed member on a piece of paper, which each singer carries in their pocket. Before taking the stage, they gather backstage to sing a special song, dedicating the evening’s performance to the legends who came before them.
SF Gay Men’s Chorus Fifth Section. Image Courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
“It’s moving every time,” Stensberg says. “There are always tears. The singers hold each other, and if their family members are there, they hold on to them as we all sing together, a cappella. It’s a moment I never get tired of, and never take for granted.”
That same devotion and care the chorus gives to each other carries through every event they put on, weaving its mission of community, activism, and compassion into the fabric of San Francisco and beyond.
Our work is about making sure people don’t feel alone—in the room, in the city, or in their own lives. If we’re doing that, then the music is doing what it’s meant to do.
—Jacob Stensberg, SFGMC Artistic Director
SFGMC shows are more than choral performances. They’re immersive experiences designed to bring people together through emotional release and a shared sense of belonging. From the flamboyant Dragathon, the chorus’s annual fundraiser featuring the SFGMC Divas, to Pride concerts and the ever-expansive Holiday Spectacular, SFGMC performances blend music, dance, theatrics, and drag, turning the stage into a place of unabashed celebration.
Image courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
SFGMC takes its mission well beyond the stage. Through its RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Through Music) program, chorus members visit middle and high schools for workshops, performances, and mentorship, often working directly with student Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) clubs to promote inclusion, self-acceptance, and resilience. That same spirit extends into LGBTQ+ senior living centers, civic and corporate events, and long-standing HIV/AIDS advocacy through the chorus’s “Giving Back” concerts.
Image courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus
Its culture of service has also placed the chorus at pivotal civic moments, from performing as a “wedding chorus” during San Francisco’s first wave of same-sex marriages to appearing at major community gatherings across the city, offering music as both celebration and a symbol of solidarity.
The chorus carries that ethos far beyond the Bay Area as well. From its first national tour in 1981 to the landmark Deep South tour in 2016 alongside the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and more recent journeys, such as 2024’s Love Tour through the Midwest, SFGMC has used music as a vehicle for activism, unity, and cultural exchange.
The SFGMC endures as a living bridge to the past and future, threading history into harmony through connection, song, and a defiant joy that honors its roots and carries the voices of the LGBTQ+ community forward with pride.
What’s next for SFGMC: Season 48 Performances
Season 48: “SHINE” is built around joy, resilience, community, and inclusion, celebrating the strength and warmth of the LGBTQ+ community and spotlighting music that reflects hope, history, and pride.
Andrew Lippa & Friends (January 24, 2026)
An evening with Tony-nominated composer Andrew Lippa and special guests, featuring music, stories, and performances tied to his long creative relationship with SFGMC and the queer arts community. Get tickets here.
Totally ’80s! (Mar 21, 2026, multiple shows at The Curran Theatre)
A high-energy celebration of the ’80s with pop anthems, rock ballads, and unforgettable hits that defined a decade and helped carry the community through it.
Crescendo Gala (Apr 25, 2026)
SFGMC’s signature fundraising gala: a night of glam, powerful performances, and community support. Celebrating 20 years of this beloved event.
DOLLY! (June 2026)
A Pride-themed event inspired by Dolly Parton’s message of kindness and unapologetic self-expression, inviting audience participation and celebration.
