On June 22, 2024, the Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus presented its Pride Month concert, “Uprising.” The beautifully curated programming by Artistic Director Simone Bernhard featured a balanced mix of songs focusing on themes of protest, adversity, hope, and affirmation. Not only did Bernhard fashion an inspiring set of music, she led the chorus with a spirit of compassion and energy.
Her attention to healthy singing and vocal unity was evident. Each member of the chorus displayed a calm and collected manner of singing. Their awareness to one another rendered unified breath work, clean articulations, and authenticity.
Act I: Protest A performance of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin'” opened the show, setting the stage for the exploration of social justice and revolution. Following Dylan’s protest anthem, the performance of the rock song turned choral hit “All Good People,” by Delta Rae, opened the following act. Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus member Michael Sarris’s arrangement of this piece was nicely choreographed, both physically and vocally.
The four solo voices of tenors Marc Eden and Jack Parsons, baritone Michael Storey and bass Michael Sarris entered one at a time each presenting powerful opening lines that built up to the roaring refrain, sung by the full chorus. The song’s refrain: “Come on and raise your voice above the raging seas, We can’t hold our breath forever, When our (brothers) sisters cannot breathe All good people, won’t you .
