MenAlive Orange County Gay Men's Chorus

OUR MISSION

THROUGH MUSIC, MEN'S VOICES UNITE TO ENTERTAIN, INFORM, BRING HEALING, JOY, FRIENDSHIP, AND BUILD BRIDGES TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

OUR HISTORY

In the early 1990s, Rich Cook attended a performance of the Turtle Creek Chorale, a prominent gay men's chorus from Dallas, Texas. Inspired by the performance, he began thinking about the need for a similar chorus in Orange County.

Over the years, Rich often returned to the idea but the timing never seemed right. Then in the summer of 2001, he went to a concert of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles. Sitting in the audience, he again thought about the need for a gay chorus in Orange County. He felt the time had come to nurture and share his vision with others.

Enlisting the help of friends and reaching out to AIDS Services Foundation Orange County (ASF) for support, Rich began turning his vision into reality. With ASF helping greatly in the initial stages helping publicize the nascent chorus, Rich posted notices around Orange County announcing auditions in September. Then he crossed his fingers and hoped the singers would come.

"I made an agreement with myself: if you have 12 guys, go ahead," Rich recalled. On that first rehearsal night in early September, 13 men came and joined the chorus. MenAlive - The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus was born.