Koster and the Seattle Men's Chorus

Apparently Snohomish County Councilman, John Koster, has a problem with gay men singing. In an article in the Everett Herald Mr. Koster expresses his resistance to the idea of the county spending tax dollars to promote a proposed December holiday program at the Everett Civic Auditorium featuring the Seattle Men’s Chorus. The money for the men's chorus concert won approval by an advisory committee. In a report, the panel said the concert would associate Snohomish County with "sophisticated" and "first-class cultural events." The County Council is scheduled to consider the spending proposal today (Wednesday, July 26) as part of a discussion of what to do with $55,399 in taxes collected from overnight tourist stays. In the article by Herald reporter, Jeff Switzer, Koster is quoted as saying, "I'll be running an amendment to pull that one,"

According to an email Koster sent to the Herald (he declined an interview request), ”Aside from the fact that the project will have minimal impact in generating overnight stays, I believe there are a great many people who live in Snohomish County that would ill consider the promotion of the Seattle Men's Chorus (who on their own Web-site boast as being '... the largest gay men's chorus in the world') as a 'sophisticated cultural event' or a 'first-class cultural event...”

For those who are not familiar with the Seattle Men’s Chorus, there is this from their production company, Flying House Productions :
“Seattle Men's Chorus is the largest community chorus in America. It is also the largest gay men's chorus in the world! Seattle Women's Chorus made its world premier on stage April 2002 and has quickly grown to over 200 singers. Each chorus has a base of over 80 volunteers and associate members that support both choruses.
More than 40,000 people attend the subscription series annually. Thousands more see each chorus in other local performances every year. Since 1994, over 2.5 million viewers have seen Seattle Men's Chorus in their award-winning television program "Swellegant Elegance" which continues to air on PBS stations across the nation…” They go on to say, ”Our choral performances are full-scale productions that combine the region's leading professional talents with nationally-known guest artists to create events that expand the possibilities of choral performances and have enormous popular appeal.

We present a five-concert series each season mostly using Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall and Meany Theater in Seattle. The chorus is the largest renter of Benaroya after the Seattle Symphony. Frequently, additional concerts that feature the talent of artists like Rosemary Clooney, Kristen Chenoweth, Melissa Manchester and Megan Mullally ("Karen" on TV's Will & Grace).

Collaboration with major guest artists from a variety of performance mediums have included jazz great Diane Schuur, Metropolitan Opera star Tatiana Troyanos, dancer/choreographer Mark Morris, recording artist Marni Nixon, Michael Feinstein, nationally acclaimed a cappella group Chanticleer, Grammy Award winners Bobby McFerrin and Natalie Cole, Tony Award-winning playwright and actor Harvey Fierstein, and 1993 Inaugural Poet Dr. Maya Angelou…” and this, ” National tours have included performances in some of the nation's most prestigious halls; New York's Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Symphony Hall in Boston, Meyerson Symphony Hall in Dallas, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, and Boettcher Hall in Denver. Statewide tours are a standard feature of the Seattle Men's Chorus performance season and have included performances in cities such as Bellingham, Bremerton, Coupeville, Everett, Olympia, Spokane, Tacoma and Walla Walla. In August, 1998, the chorus traveled to Europe, where they performed in Barcelona, at the Gay Games' closing ceremony and two other concerts in Amsterdam, and in London.”

Then there is this review in the Seattle PI from November, 2001 in which they say, ”…What is particularly remarkable is that the chorus is regarded as a gay men's chorus, yet 40 percent of its audience for its string of Christmas concerts is straight, a pattern sustained the rest of the year…” and go on to offer, ”The Seattle Men's must be doing something right because it has an annual budget of more than $3 million, which puts it high on a list of local music organizations, and is the recipient of major grants from mainstream organizations.
Its budget is the largest of any choral group in the nation, said Coleman. The gay men's chorus in San Francisco and New York have budgets that range from $700,000 to $1 million, and Turtle Creek in Dallas is $1.7 million…”

I guess sophistication and culture are in the eye (and ear) of the beholder. Unfortunately Councilman Koster may be correct in his assumption about a select group of homophobic music critics in our county. What is more unfortunate is that he has chosen to be their champion.

UPDATE: Just prior to posting this story, I received word that Koster's amendment failed 3-2 (he was joined in his effort by fellow republican, Gary Nelson)


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue