Ah Greece! Land of Achilles and Patroclus, of Hercules and Abderus, and the backdrop for Shirley Valentine. So pour the ouzo, play the bouzouki and celebrate Pride through the ages with us.
The Pinkies are honoured to be the guests of Athens Gay Pride this year and will be singing in the streets of Athens and on the main Pride stage on the weekend of 3–4 June. A small but ultra–excited contingent will represent the choir in a country we’ve saved till now to visit. Despite the mecca of Mykonos, gay life in Greece can be pretty quiet, so if you fancy an impromptu city trip for a bit of fun and culture, and want to show the Athenians your support, come along! Continue reading “In a country where the grape is grown”
Tag: Pride
It gets better: behind the scenes
Last month we filmed our contribution to the It Gets Better Project. What struck me was the enthusiasm with which the Pinkies supported the making of this video. Within a week of the original YouTube upload by Dan Savage and his husband going viral on Facebook, we knew we had to take part, and a fortnight later, there we were in the break between rehearsals speaking into the camera. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, because we all have our own stories of coming out, but what I did find unexpected was the heartfelt honesty with which the Pink Singers spoke about their own lives. We are all good friends in the choir, yet there are some things which just don’t come up in conversation, because they are perhaps too personal. So it was a privilege indeed to hear what our members wanted to share with those kids who are being bullied for being different, who have no-one to turn to, and who think their own lives are uniquely dark: you are not alone and things do get better.
Have a look at some of the photos taken behind the scenes, and do check out our video, as well as the hundreds of other videos on the It Gets Better Project website. We are the Pink Singers and we’re here to say, “It gets better!”
It gets better!
Apparently, the last time the Pink Singers appeared on the Joel Kafetz show turned out to be one of the most popular episodes ever. This wasn’t just down to us of course, but all the other LGBT choirs who took part.
Because of this Joel decided to give it a second whirl, and this time our own Johnathon picked up the microphone. He spoke for over 15 minutes on topics covering everything from what the Pinkies are doing next, to what it means to be in a choir, to how hard it can be coming out.
More topically, the discussion also turned to the recent spate of gay teen suicides in the U.S. of A and the work of the It Gets Better Project. Stay tuned to this website, or keep an eye on the Pink Singers YouTube channel – we have something very special planned to support the cause! After the break you can hear the edited version of Jonathon’s guest stint on the radio show. Continue reading “It gets better!”
Pride Run 2010
We’re celebrating the Pink Singers’ third year running (rather than just marching) with Pride at the London Pride Run 2010. For those of you who have been to a Pride Run before, you will know that it has a great atmosphere and is a huge amount of fun, but more than that we’ll be helping to raise funds for the London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard.
This year Team Pinkies be debuting our new Pinkies running T-shirts as well, so there’s even more reason to come down and give us a supportive cheer. You could even run yourself, just make sure you register soon! Remember to give us a wave if you see us around Victoria Park on Saturday, 14 August 2010.
Timeline datestamp: 14 August 2010
Being in an LGBT choir is great!
Our very own Philip Rescorla is turning into a bit of a radio celebrity. After a successful stint a few weeks ago, he picked up the phone and appeared on the Joel Kafetz show on JNET Radio last night.
The programme focussed on the LGBT choir movement in the U.K. and featured interviews with the Pink Singers and our fellow choristers in Diversity, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, Gay Abandon, Loud and Proud and Rainbow Chorus. Every choir is slightly different, but everyone agreed that being part of a group like ours is a fulfilling experience, even more so when combined with a sense of Pride.
Joel complimented the Pinkies on the quality of our sound and played a recording of Vivaldi’s Gloria from our summer concert (listen to it from the 5:52 mark). As he suggests, we’re not just about Dancing Queen! Here’s the edited segment – enjoy! Continue reading “Being in an LGBT choir is great!”