Gay Choruses and Music Confronting Heteronormativity, Cultural and Institutional Homophobia and Anti-Queer Violence

Telling Stories and Building Community through Song: Gay Choruses and Music Confronting Heteronormativity, Cultural and Institutional Homophobia and Anti-Queer Violence Kevin C. Schattenkirk MA, Music History (2010, University of Washington) MA, Ethnomusicology (2008, University of Washington) This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Western Australia. University of Western Australia School of Social Sciences and School of Music Submitted for examination 18 December 2017 i Thesis Declaration I, Kevin C Schattenkirk, certify that: This thesis has been substantially accomplished during enrolment in the degree. This thesis does not contain material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution. No part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of The University of Western Australia and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. This thesis does not contain any material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. The work(s) are not in any way a violation or infringement of any copyright, trademark, patent, or other rights whatsoever of any person. The research involving human data reported in this thesis was assessed and approved by The University of Western Australia Human Research Ethics Committee. Approval #: RA/4/1/5819. This thesis does not contain work that I have published, nor work under review for publication. Signature: Date: 18 December 2017 ii Abstract The focus of this project is the gay choral movement and commissioned music addressing heteronormativity, homophobia and anti-queer violence in the United States. With the emergence of openly gay choruses in the late 1970s, newly commissioned music has been valued as an essential means of addressing socio-political and cultural issues relevant to, and impacting upon, the queer community. For instance, new music about the devastation of the AIDS epidemic became an integral part of the gay choral repertoire in the 1980s and 90s. This project is primarily concerned with commissioned music about heteronormativity, homophobia and anti-queer violence. Some of this music addresses the 1998 murder of openly gay university student Matthew Shepard. More recently, gay choruses have commissioned music in response to an epidemic of suicide among queer youth. This serves to illustrate the ways in which gay choruses continually engage their audiences in discourse on the violent ramifications of anti-queer rhetoric and sentiment in the US. But before choruses take this music to the stage, singers individually and collectively contend with the meaning of a given piece of music in the rehearsal space – and how that piece of music might reflect and express their experiences. As such, I find that these pieces of music reproduce conflict, anxiety and resolution – the conflict of being a queer person in a heteronormative world, anxiety because of the emotional, psychological and physical impact of that conflict (being shunned by friends and family, suffering discrimination and/or violence, regardless of whether or not one is ‘out’), and resolution in contending with those experiences. I argue that in performing music that reproduces conflict, anxiety and resolution, gay choruses tell their stories. In doing so, this music becomes a site for healing and a strengthened sense of community. Choruses of study in this project include the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (formed in 1978), Seattle Men’s Chorus (formed in 1979) and Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (formed in 1982). These ensembles are member choruses of the larger Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (or, GALA Choruses, formed in 1982), an international organization. It is pertinent to understand the respective histories of these choruses and the socio-political contexts from which they emerged. This project examines the ways in which these choruses have adapted their sense of purpose to the contemporary needs of the queer community. Following this historical background, this project examines commissioned music as a means of addressing and confronting heteronormativity, homophobia and anti-queer violence since the Shepard murder in 1998. However, this project is not limited to music about homophobic violence committed by perpetrators against a gay-identifying victim. Rather, the scope of anti-queer violence also includes acts of self-harm and suicide by queer people – which are acts of anti-queer violence where the queer person responds to a culture that conditions them to believe their life has no value. Music that addresses these concerns then becomes a utility for gay choruses, embodying the mission statements of these ensembles for outreach and creating social change. While effecting social change with audience members is not the focus of this project, it must be mentioned in order to understand what drives the purpose of these choruses. The change that does take place, however, is often within these ensembles. By preparing and performing the music in this project, singers tell their unique and individual stories. These stories share commonalities that allow singers to relate to one another, feel a sense of healing and strengthen a sense of community within their respective choruses. iii Table of Contents List of Figures … vii Abbreviations and Acronyms … viii Acknowledgments … ix Dedication … xii Chapter 1 Introduction … 1 Matthew Shepard, Harvey Milk and Queer Youth Suicide: Stories of Heteronormativity, Homophobia and Anti-Queer Violence … 4 Genesis of this Current Work … 9 Definition of Terms … 13 A Note About Gay Choruses’ Rehearsal Processes and Concert Seasons … 18 Research Questions and Focus of this Project … 21 Literature Review … 26 Methodological Approaches … 37 Chapter Summaries … 47 Chapter 2 The Origins, Development and Politics of the Gay Choral Movement … 50 Gay Choral Movement and Activism … 51 San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Harvey Milk … 53 Seattle Men’s Chorus … 58 Boston Gay Men’s Chorus … 61 Formation of Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses) … 65 Commissioned Music as an Aesthetic Value … 69 iv Repurposing Songs for Social Commentary … 74 Chapter 3 ‘We’re going to tell our stories’: Commissioned Music in the Gay Choral Repertoire … 77 Repertoire Studies … 78 Musical Responses to the Shepard Murder … 81 ‘What Matters’ … 83 A Whitman Oratorio … 87 Community Memory in Music About Shepard … 93 Raising Questions … 95 Heteronormativity and Violence in ‘Testimony’ … 98 I Am Harvey Milk (2013) and Beyond … 102 Chapter 4 Joining the Chorus, Biography and Experience: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus as a Case Study … 109 Communities of Practice and Music Making … 110 A Note on the Audition Process: Behind the Scenes Logistics … 114 SFGMC’s Stories … 116 Biography, Experience and Musicking … 119 Premiering ‘Testimony’ … 123 Reflections on Performing in Laramie, July 2012 … 126 Chapter 5 ‘I’m actually, genuinely singing about myself’: Seattle Men’s Chorus as a Case Study … 132 Music Making and Identity … 136 In the Rehearsal Space … 138 Reflecting on Current Musical Practices: Singers in Conversation … 141 Passing the Mic: Singers Sharing Stories at the 24 March 2014 Rehearsal … 147 v Crisis, Scars and Self-Acceptance … 152 Chapter 6 – Conclusion … 158 This Work in Summary … 160 Avenues for Future Research … 164 Bibliography … 170 Appendices … 179 vi List of Figures Figure 1 Matthew Shepard … 4 Figure 2 Matthew Shepard … 5 Figure 3 Harvey Milk … 6 Figure 4 Score: ‘What Matters’ (bb. 37-44) By Randi Driscoll, arranged by Kevin Robison … 86 Figure 5 Score: A Whitman Oratorio, ‘V: Protest’ (bb. 1-7) By Lowell Liebermann … 91 Figure 6 San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Love Can Build a Bridge concert July 2012, University of Wyoming … 127 Figure 7 Pike Street, the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of Seattle, Washington… 133 vii Abbreviations and Acronyms AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome BGMC – Boston Gay Men’s Chorus COAST – Come Out and Sing Together GALA and GALA Choruses – Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus LGBTQI (and variations on this acronym) – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, queer/questioning, intersex MSF – Matthew Shepard Foundation SFGMC – San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus SMC – Seattle Men’s Chorus SWC – Seattle Women’s Chorus WBC – Westboro Baptist Church viii Acknowledgments This research is supported by an Australian Post-Graduate Award, University of Western Australia Safety Net Top-Up Scholarship, and an Overseas Travel Award. Prior to the start of this project, and certainly as my work has progressed over the last five years, I have been fortunate to have the support of a number of mentors, colleagues, friends and family. To those I may have missed below, please accept my apologies. I would like to express my gratitude to the following: Dr. Jonathan McIntosh, for all of your invaluable feedback and guidance on this project from the very beginning. I cannot begin to adequately express my gratitude for both your mentorship and friendship. Dennis Coleman, conductor emeritus of Seattle Men’s Chorus as of June 2016. This project would not be the same without you. Thank you for being a liaison of sorts, putting me in contact with Tim Seelig and others in the GALA Choruses organization. Your kindness, generosity and enthusiasm for this project will never be forgotten. Dr. Martin Forsey, Dr. David Symons, Dr. Nicholas Bannan, and Dr. Steven Maras for your impeccable guidance, detailed feedback on my work, and ability to see the practical value of this research, especially over the last few years of completing this project. Dr. Andrea Emberly for your assistance in securing funding for this project, and for introducing me to Dr. Jonathan McIntosh in 2010. Dr. John Phillips for all of your invaluable advice and insights in the realms of academia, the gym, and a bodybuilder’s diet (12-egg omelettes every day!).

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