50 for 50: A Campaign to Support
The Stonewall Chorale
For nearly 50 years, The Stonewall Chorale, understanding the power of representation and visibility, has raised its voice in song and solidarity. Founded in 1977, we are the nation’s oldest LGBTQIA+ chorus and one of the few queer choirs devoted to classical repertoire and contemporary choral works.
From our earliest days to our upcoming 50th Anniversary Season, our mission has remained steadfast: to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices through a dynamic and diverse choral repertoire, and unify the greater community through the transformative power of music.
Through artistry and excellence, we affirm queer lives and perspectives while creating opportunities for audiences to experience connection, dignity, belonging, and joy.
We champion artists who have historically been underrepresented, including LGBTQIA+ composers, women, and people of color, and present inspiring performances that are educational, accessible, and affordable to New Yorkers of all backgrounds. Through school- and community-based programs, we engage younger audiences and address urgent contemporary issues.
In a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack, we sing to celebrate queer lives and queer joy.
A Transformational Moment
The 2026–27 season marks more than a milestone anniversary. It represents a defining turning point in our history. After 25 extraordinary years of artistic leadership, our beloved Artistic Director, Cynthia Powell, will conclude her remarkable tenure at the close of our 50th Anniversary Season. Her vision and leadership have shaped The Stonewall Chorale’s artistic excellence, deepened our musical ambition, and expanded our community impact.
This moment—celebrating five decades of resilience and artistry while preparing for new leadership—offers a rare opportunity to invest in the future of The Stonewall Chorale. We invite you to partner with us at this historic juncture to ensure that our next 50 years are just as inspiring, inclusive, and impactful as our first.
To make the most of this opportunity, we seek to raise $50,000 (“50 for 50”!) to:
Why This Matters Now
While progress toward LGBTQIA+ equality is real, safety, dignity, and belonging remain uneven. Transgender people, in particular, continue to face sustained attacks. In this climate, representation is protective, visibility sustaining, and community lifesaving.
For five decades, The Stonewall Chorale has been a sanctuary in uncertain times. We have sung through the AIDS crisis, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Defense of Marriage Act, the COVID-19 pandemic, and renewed threats to hard-won rights. Ours is not simply a musical history—it is a testament to queer resilience.
In an era marked by isolation and fragmentation, The Chorale offers intergenerational belonging. During rehearsals and performances friendships form, identities are affirmed, and chosen family takes shape. For many, the Chorale is inseparable from their coming-out journey and their deepest sense of home.
By raising our voices together, we transform darkness into light, for ourselves and for others.
Why Your Investment Matters
The Stonewall Chorale plays a vital role in New York City’s cultural and queer life. We center LGBTQIA+ experience within the classical tradition, expanding who is seen, heard, and celebrated on the concert stage.
The possibility that, by supporting the Chorale, I could touch just one other person the way the Chorale has touched me is worth everything.”
—Stonewall Chorale Donor
Join Us.
This is a once-in-a-generation moment. With your leadership investment, we will:
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Secure visionary artistic leadership
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Expand into larger venues to welcome more singers and reach broader audiences
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Preserve affordability and accessibility
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Deepen our cultural impact
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Ensure that this extraordinary community not only endures but thrives
For 50 years, The Stonewall Chorale has sung through repression and into possibility. With your partnership, we will raise our voices—together—for the next 50 and beyond.