HOAMC Sings at A Sweet A'Fair and Wichita Pride

On Friday, September 23rd, HOAMC performed a few disco numbers from "Life is a Cabaret" at Dr. Donna Sweet's A Sweet A'Fair, a benefit for the emergency fund for patients with AIDS.  The chorus has been honored to be asked to perform at the event for several years.  On the following Saturday, the chorus performed at Wichita Pride held at the Mid-America Indian Center.

HOAMC Wins Award at 47th Art Awards

The Heart of America Men's Chorus is being honored with an award at the 47th Annual Art Awards presented by the Wichita Arts Council.  The awards ceremony will be held on November 3rd. The Wichita Arts Council has awarded HOAMC with the Arts Organization award which is presented to a public non-profit organization that presents or provides arts opportunities to the Wichita community and region.

The Heart of America Men's Chorus was founded in 2002 when five men banded together to form a men's chorus to advocate for inclusion and to provide a safe haven for men to share encouragement in song.  HOAMC is a member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses and has performed at several GALA events.  The chorus has performed at many more events including Wichita Gay Pride, Salina Gay Pride, a Sweet A'Fair, fundraisers for organizations in Moundridge, and countless other outreach performances outside the Wichita area.

Over the years, HOAMC has brought several important works of music to the Wichita community.  The chorus teamed up with many female singers from the community to perform "Sing for the Cure," which was conducted by Dr. Tim Seelig presently the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Another endeavor was a collaboration with the Heartland Men's Chorus  of Kansas City to present "Exile," a piece commissioned by the SFGMC comprised of musical adaptations of stories from the chorus. The chorus also performed the muscial adaptation of "Oliver Button is a Sissy," a piece commissioned by the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus that addresses bullying which was performed in front of an audience of nearly 1000 local students as well as the general community.

A hallmark of the chorus is the community beneficiaries that it donates a portion of its concert proceeds.  Those beneficiaries include the Kyrie Foundation, Positive Directions, American Cancer Society, the Orpheum Theatre, the United Methodist Open Door program for people who are homeless or needing assistance, the Komen Foundation, Grace Med, and many other charitable organizations.

A Time to End Violence...A Time for Healing

Violence.  We hear of much of it, but secretly pray it doesn't touch our lives.  When it does, it shatters our innocence and calls us to action.  Music inspires, empowers, enlightens and heals.  Heartland Men's
Chorus commissioned "I Sing Out" written by composer Mark Hayes.  Heart of America Men's Chorus performed it during the summer 2014 pride concert "Raise You Up."  It is a fitting time to feature this again in hopes that it brings comfort in a time that is so painful.

Heart of America Men's Chorus Expresses Sympathy and Solidarity

On Sunday morning, June 12, 2016, a gunman professing allegiance to the extremist terrorist group ISIL, opened fire in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida killing 50 and wounding over 50 members of the GLBTQ community and it's allies.

The Heart of America Men's Chorus of Wichita, Kansas would like to extend our deepest sympathy with the victims and their loved ones in the face of this horrendous tragedy.  We would also condemn the actions of this individual who acted in hate and complete disregard for the lives of others.

Expressing ourselves the best way we know how...in song, we look to a song written by Holly Near and performed in 1978 by the San Fransisco Gay Men's Chorus on the front step of San Francisco's City Hall a few hours after the assassination of Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone.

We are a gentle angry people,
and we are singing for our lives.
We are a gentle angry people,
and we are singing for our lives.

We are gay and straight together,
and we are singing for our lives.
We are gay and straight together,,
and we are singing for our lives.

We are a justice seeking people,
and we are singing for our lives.
We are a justice seeking people,
and we are singing for our lives.

May the coming days bring you answers to this senseless act and may time bring the healing that time and love can only bring.  You are in our hearts and thoughts.

Support HOAMC by Donating at ArtDOG

Once again for 2016, the Heart of America Men's Chorus is proud to be a part of ArtDOG, Wichita's Art Day Of Giving.  Please make your donation to help HOAMC provide quality entertainment for the Wichita community.

Check Out the Latest Tour of Kansas City's Heartland Men's Choir

HOAMC partnered with Heartland Men's Choir of Kansas City several years ago to bring you the musical production "Exxile."  Here is what Heartland has planned for April.

                                                                                               

HMC HITS THE ROAD WITH TESTIMONY TOUR

Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, is hitting the road with their unique style of entertainment while promoting social justice, personal healing, and inspiration.

In April, a motor coach filled with members of this nationally renowned chorus will be rolling west into Hays and Salina to perform songs that range from pop to classical, serious to fun, and everything in between.

Fresh off a sold-out performance at Kansas City’s 1,000+ seat historic Folly Theater, the members of HMC are always using their music to fulfill their vision statement: Our Voices Enlighten, Inspire, Heal and Empower. 

About 65 singers will be appearing at the First United Methodist Church in Hays at 7pm Saturday, April 23 and at Trinity United Methodist Church in Salina at 2pm Sunday, April 24. Both concerts are open to the public, and any free-will offering will go to support a cause important to the hosting congregations.  

Heartland Men’s Chorus was founded in 1985 to make music, but quickly transformed to a safe and affirming creative space for a community scarred by discrimination and under siege by a virus. Thirty years later, HMC has become a leader in the international gay choral community and is a vital part of the robust arts and cultural scene of Kansas City.

“When you consider the state of LGBT affairs in Kansas, with a governor who has rescinded civil rights protections from gay state employees, it is more important than ever that we go to a part of Kansas where residents need to hear our voices,” says HMC Artistic Director Dustin Cates. “If ever there was a place and time to sing out and give hope, it is in Kansas, and it is now!”  

The Testimony Tour is based upon one of the numbers to be performed, Testimony, which reflects the postings by a cross section of society to the famous “It Gets Better” website that encourages LGBT youth to overcome social and personal pressures to live a good and productive life.

Come see why The Kansas City Star refers to HMC as “one of the most beloved arts institutions in Kansas City.”

                                               

                                        

DETAILS FOR HMC’S TESTIMONY TOUR

WHO

Heartland Men’s Chorus

Executive Director Rick Fisher

Artistic Director Dustin Cates

www.hmckc.org

WHAT

Testimony Tour to central and western Kansas

ITINERARY

HAYS

7 p.m., Saturday, April 23, 2016

First United Methodist Church

305 W. 7^th Street

Hays, KS  67601

www.haysfirstunitedmethodistchurch.com

Overnight in Hays, Kansas

SALINA

2 p.m., Sunday, April 24, 2016

Trinity United Methodist Church

901 E. Neal Ave.

Salina, KS 67401

www.triumc.org

HOAMC Sings "Not My Father's Son" and an Interview with GLSEN Greater Wichita

GLSEN, Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, helps provided resources for teachers and students to provide a safe place for GLBTQ students and also works to end bullying.  Our partner for this concert is GLSEN.  This clip is an interview of two GLSEN Wichita board members.  Al Hoffman is also a member of HOAMC.  The following clip is of HOAMC's rehearsal of "Not My Father's Son" which we dedicate to the GLBTQ students who find it so hard to fit the image that they are told to fit.