MANKATO — There is one word in the name of the Mankato Community Queer Choir that is key for a couple of the members participating in their first concert Saturday. That word is “community.”
Quite literally, one goal of the new organization is to fill the room with music, pride and the collective power of LGBTQIA+ voices. And in doing so, they want to lift up each member in a way they may never have been lifted up before.
“For me, any kind of performance arts — be it theater, choir or anything you do — there needs to be community,” said member Jared Lanes. “None of us are the same, and we came together and we make music and we laugh.”
Although each of the dozen members are in a different place along their life’s journey, they walk — and sing — alongside each other and offer support.
“That’s really what I feel is the purpose of this choir. It’s to bring a group of people together for a community,” he said.
Music to be performed at the concert, put together by co-directors Linden Kirscht and Aster Coyour, is a reaching-out into the community at large. It features a variety of musical styles, from musical theater to pop, with a stated goal to be “an afternoon of uplifting choral music, heartfelt connection, and a space where everyone is welcome exactly as they are.”
Kati Davis grew up in Madelia and then went to Massachusetts for a year of college. When she and her wife returned, she was looking for a place to be herself.
“You know, out in Massachusetts it’s very easy to find other queer people and find groups to hang out with and things like that,” she said. “But there isn’t a whole lot of opportunity for that here, you know, in southern Minnesota.”
Through her mother, however, she found this “really great opportunity for me to do something I love with people who are in the queer community with me,” she said. And she liked that the choir also welcomes people with various neuro-diverse experiences who can come to feel safe and free to express who they are.
She grew up dancing with the Mankato Ballet Company and plays violin, so being on stage is not new. Although doing it through singing is.
“It’s something that I felt very supported doing, and that’s been really cool,” she said. “And it’s given me kind of the confidence to be like, you know, this is me. This is who I am, and I know that there is a community behind me.”
Jessica Lanes was one of the people who recognized the potential for a queer choir. She said they’ve received a lot of interest from people, but finding a “sweet spot” for scheduling has been a challenge.
“Something that I didn’t fully anticipate is how much need there is for arts opportunities at low or no cost to participate,” she said. “Many folks are struggling financially right now, and we’ve been able to work with singers to keep costs to a minimum or work on financial arrangements for those who need it.”
The same holds true for concertgoers. To make sure everyone who wants to can attend, they are offering a pay-what-you-can admission cost.
As the interest continues to grow, the group plans on becoming more involved in community service experiences and public events, utilizing a partnership with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Choir for advice and to offer a concert in Mankato in December.
“Musically, it’s been refreshing to see the interest in singing, with people finding us primarily through word of mouth and social media,” Jessica Lanes said. “Hearing the first chords ringing out from so many new faces gave me chills. We have a smaller ensemble for this concert, but our voices are strong and we’re ready as we can be to perform a wonderful debut for the community.”