E-mail from Mark Sherkow
'A couple of weeks ago you wrote about how the gay choruses and bands got started in 1979 and years following. Here is my story about why I joined the Windy City Gay Chorus, and a couple of comments about the experience.
'For me, the story started with going to a Life Planning Workshop held by John Powers. At the workshop, John asked us to think about all the things we would like to do before we died, forgetting about constraints such as financial considerations. One of the things I came up with was SINGING. I had never taken any voice instruction and the only organized singing I had done was in religious school, but I enjoyed singing along with the radio in my car and felt I had a good voice and range. I had taken piano lessons while in grade school, and that exposed me to classical music and some 'boogie woogie.'
'At some point after the life planning workshop, I signed up for 10 singing lessons at the American Conservatory of Music. Those lessons didn't do much for me, but they did get me started. A year or so later, a good friend of mine told me he was taking voice lessons at the People's Music School in Uptown, and after looking into it I joined at the beginning of the next term. This is basically a free music school—I paid only a $10 admission fee at the beginning of the term, which enabled me to get a 20-minute singing lesson every week. I also had to take a music theory class and sing in the adult choir, which had about 15 people. This music school has just received a $100,000 MacArthur grant. I ended up attending for a year and a half, singing with the choir in the lobby of the Goodman Theatre before a performance of The Christmas Carol and at a couple of nursing homes, along with their regular performances.
'The first year I sang at the People's Music School, I went to a memorial service for Wanda Lust (AKA Steven Jones) at Good Shepherd Parish MCC. This was the first time I heard the Windy City Gay Chorus sing (this was their third season, 1981-1982). They were seated in the balcony of the church so I didn't even see them until they started singing—and I was overwhelmed with the sound! I decided to audition for the next season, not expecting to get in the first time but figuring I would find out what the audition was like. When they called me back a few days after the audition to tell me I got in, I was surprised and had to think about whether to actually join. But I did—and ended up staying until 1994, and then rejoining in 2001 to sing with their sister chorus, Unison: Windy City Lesbian and Gay Singers (and am now also on the Board of Directors of the parent organization, Windy City Performing Arts).
'One of the reasons I decided to join the chorus was that I was somewhat shy at that time, and I remember thinking that singing in front of a big audience might help me get over my shyness and get 'out of myself.' I also wanted to be in an activity where I would meet and work with other gay people.
'Some 20 years later, I can say that I have been very happy with my choice. I have experienced the enjoyment of working together to make beautiful music, both in rehearsal and for others, in performance—as well as the many hours of work on my own to learn and sometimes to memorize the music. I have met a lot of people through the chorus, including some life-long friends and some others with whom I have had relationships. And I have certainly overcome some of the shyness I felt about getting out of myself and enjoying being with other people.'
Future historians take note: The memory section in this column contains just that—memories—and are only to be used as a starting point for your research. Send your stories to Sukie de la Croix at Windy City Times. You can leave a message on his voicemail at 773-871-7610. He interviews over the phone, in person, or via e-mail sukiedelacroix@ozhasspoken.com
