Gay youth choir launched

By Rosie Lavan

THE LONDON Gay Men’s Chorus is launching a youth choir in Islington on Saturday.

Sing It! is aimed at 16 – 21 year olds from across the capital and is being supported by a consortium of businesses.

Martin Newman, of the LGMC, said: “There are lots of gay youth groups but there isn’t a gay youth singing group.”

Newman said that although Sing It! is an exciting project it has been difficult to promote.

“It’s not that easy to market to youth to encourage them to come along – it’s something new and it’s maybe a bit scary.”

But he said the choir would be an important place for young gay people to meet, particularly if they have recently come out and are adjusting to the reactions of family and friends.

He said: “We hope it will be a place where people will feel like part of a family, with people that think along similar lines.”

Newman said that when he was coming out 20 years ago gay youth groups tended to be issue-led, whereas the emphasis at Sing It! will be on having a good time.

“When I was coming out myself at 18 there were youth groups for people taking their first steps but it was just discussion, talking about politics. But if you’re going along to have a good sing it’s brilliant.”

Gitika Partington, Sing It!’s musical director, said the choir, which is open to all young people, was “a fabulous idea”.

She said: “It’s really about fighting prejudice. The singing is the important thing.”

“It’s also about creating a place where you feel that you are welcome. That is the reason that I was so happy to be involved.”

Partington said she believed that singing was an ideal way for any group to tackle intolerance.

“Singing does break down barriers because it’s about having a voice. There’s a real sense of empowerment to be had from using your own voice in that way.”

The first Sing It! session takes place on Saturday 15 November in the Church Hall on Crayford Road.

The LGMC is now in its fifteenth year and has performed all over the world. Their Christmas concert will take place on 20 December at the Barbican.

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