THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Gabriel Faure's "Requiem", a choral work first performed in 1888, is the best known of his large works and offers a unique view of death focusing on eternal rest and consolation versus the fear of death. The piece also offers a message of tranquil solace to the bereaved. Faure is quoted as saying: "It has been said that my Requiem does not express the fear of death and someone has called it a lullaby of death. But it is thus that I see death: as a happy deliverance, an aspiration towards happiness above, rather than as a painful experience."

As one of America's oldest LGBTQ+ choral organizations, the 100-plus members of the Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Choir, led by Artistic Director Dr. Eric Esparza, celebrate their 38th anniversary during the 2016-17-concert season. In 2003, the choral ensembles made history by becoming the first choruses in a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered ( GLBT ) organization to sing the National Anthem at an Illinois professional sporting event at the Chicago Free Press sponsored "Out At The Ballgame" day at U.S. Cellular Field, opening for the Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians game.

ABOUT DR. ERIC ESPARZA

Dr. Eric Esparza is the Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Area Coordinator at DePaul University. He conducts the DePaul Chamber Choir, Concert Choir and teaches courses in choral music. Esparza holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, TX. He also has a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University where he served as a University Fellow and Assistant Conductor of the Florida State University Opera. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting comes from Boston University. Esparza remains internationally active as a singer, conductor and music editor.

ABOUT WINDY CITY GAY CHORUS AND WINDY CITY TREBLE QUIRE

Celebrating 38 Lyrical years, Windy City Performing Arts ( WCPA ) is Chicago's premier LGBTQ choral arts organization encompassing Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire. Each ensemble performs a variety of musical styles from classical to pop. In addition to WCPA's season of concerts each year, the organization is committed to maintaining a positive presence in the community by partnering with other LGBTQ+ organizations in Chicago and nationally. WCPA celebrates diversity, honors creativity and cultivates pride through the transformative power of music and the arts.