Our Mission

• To unite Queer and Ally voices in song, fostering community and the growth of every member’s musical skills in an effort to sing with purpose.

• To serve as a beacon of Visibility and Pride for the LGBTQIA+ community.

• To conduct ourselves with integrity, respect, dedication, professionalism, honor, and pride, representing the inspiration, diversity, camaraderie, and responsibility of the ensemble at all times.

Our Origin Story

The story of the Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus began in November 2020. Nicole Lamartine, the Sorensen Director of Choral Music at the University of California, Santa Barbara, asked one of her students, Sami Alsaloom, if there was an active tenor/bass chorus for the local LGBTQIA+ community. While a prior group had ceased operations, the conversation sparked a new vision.

Nicole and Sami approached members of the former chorus—including Michael Broyles-Shaw, Phill Conrad, and Bob Nieder—and began planning a brand-new organization. Because the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging and vaccines were not yet available, the founders spent the winter and spring of 2021 focusing entirely on safety protocols, organizational planning, and community outreach.

They envisioned an ensemble where Dr. Lamartine would serve as the inaugural Artistic Director, backed by a strong administrative foundation built to endure for generations to come.

Carrying on a Proud Tradition

The founders chose the name "Santa Barbara Gay Men's Chorus" to align with a long, proud history of iconic ensembles, including the San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles Gay Men's Choruses.

While fostering a strong social community for gay men is central to our mission, we intentionally design our membership to be radically inclusive. You do not need to identify as "gay" or as a "man" to join us. Our musical repertoire is specifically written for tenor and bass voices (TTBB)—meaning anyone capable of singing those vocal parts who supports the LGBTQIA+ community is welcome to participate.

From Living Rooms to the Stage

As vaccines rolled out in early 2021, the leadership launched two outdoor rehearsals to gauge community interest:

• May 15, 2021: Hosted at the Goleta home of Bob Nieder and Phill Conrad, drawing 15 singers.

• June 6, 2021: Hosted at the Montecito home of Ben Oni-Cortes, attracting a similar enthusiastic turnout.

Driven by these early successes, the board officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, launched its first website, and scheduled a full rehearsal season. The First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara, which had hosted the previous area chorus, warmly welcomed the new ensemble to use their beautiful space for both rehearsals and performances.