The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus singing membership is as diverse as the music the chorus performs. From doctors to lawyers, public-relations professionals to construction workers, and professionally-trained singers to avid amateurs, we proudly represent a broad spectrum of our community.
The Member Spotlight is a monthly feature that highlights different members of the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus, their experiences, and how they have benefited from being part of the AGMC family. We invite you to read about our current spotlighted member below.
Joe Christley
Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, I have called Atlanta my home for the past sixteen years. I share my home with my 19 year-old Persian cat, Myrna, who at 19 seems determined to set a record for life longevity. I presently work for AT&T as a database developer, and spend most of my social time with friends I have met through being a member of the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus.
I joined the chorus in 2001, so this year marks my ninth season as a singing member. I have always enjoyed singing and performing. I was a member of my high school chorus, sang in my church choir, as well as community theatre back in South Carolina. After moving to Atlanta, I was primarily focused on my career, yet I began to remember how much I enjoyed those earlier experiences of learning music, performing in front of an audience, and the fun of making new friends along the way. I was introduced to the chorus by volunteering to help with the chorus’ fundraising silent auction, and decided it was time to get back to singing. I auditioned and have been a member ever since.
Earlier this season, I was elected Baritone section manager, which involves getting to know each member of the section, enforcing membership rules, and representing their concerns to the rest of the Membership Committee, which essentially governs the membership of the Chorus. I also perform with Panache, our small ensemble.
To state that being a member of the chorus is meaningful to me would be an understatement. The majority of my friends are in the chorus, and it’s a significant part of my life right now. I believe in the mission and artistic vision of the organization to present a positive, honest image of who we are as gay men. I find that very affirming. And we are making really wonderful music happen.
My favorite memory of being in the chorus is attending the 2008 GALA Festival in Miami, Florida. While it is always nice to perform for our incredibly supportive season subscribers and concert patrons, it is quite intimidating to sing in front of an audience made up of other choruses who know the instant you make the smallest mistake. Yet, we totally ROCKED that concert! We worked really, really hard to perfect it, and it was great to hear the music in that space, to feel the energy in the room, and to enjoy the genuine applause afterwards, knowing we did really well.
My hope for the future of the chorus is that it will endure this tough economy, and I have every confidence that we will. We have the right leadership in key roles to help assure our continued success. Beyond that, I hope we will continue to improve our artistic excellence and enhance the number of opportunities to collaborate with other fine arts organizations, so that we can continue to share our music and our message with a growing audience.
I hope you will plan to join us for our upcoming concert "The Road Leads Back: Georgia on Our Minds." You will leave the performance inspired and hungry for more.