About Brisbane Pride Choir

We formed, as the Brisbane Lesbian and Gay Pride Choir, in 1998. We weren’t a choir at the start but just a group of people who came together for a series of singing workshops funded by a Brisbane City Council grant. The fire was lit with those workshops and just a few months later we performed at the annual Pride Fair Day. 

The Choir is a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer-friendly people who come together to sing. We think it's important to perform in and for our local community.

Through our performances we share with audiences the great value of a diverse, inclusive and accepting society. At events in Brisbane and throughout Queensland we have often connected with people struggling with their own sexuality or identity. As a community choir, it’s a great feeling for us to know that our performances matter.

We are an SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) choir and sing a range of songs and musical styles, including traditional, contemporary and original music. A large part of our repertoire is sung a cappella. 

We aim to entertain audiences in the LGBTIQ+ community as well as audiences in the wider Brisbane, national and international community.
 

Performance history

1998       -      First public performance at Pride Festival, Brisbane
1999       -      Toowoomba Youth Centre, Mayor threatens to defund if Choir sings there
2000       -      Woodford Folk Festival
2001       -      Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
2002       -      Sydney Gay Games and Performance, Opera House
2003       -      Launch of Rainbow Labor, Spring Hill
2004       -      Pride Concert in St Mary’s South Brisbane upsets the Archbishop
2005       -      Yag’ubi Multicultural Festival, Hervey Bay
2006       -      Brisbane 'Ekka' Exhibition 
2007       -      Melbourne Out and Loud Festival
2008       -      10th anniversary concert at Government House, hosted by H.E. Quentin Bryce 
2009       -      The Letter Q, an original stage show, performed in Ipswich, Toowoomba, Brisbane
                       and Sunshine Coast
2010       -      Auckland Out and Loud Festival
2011       -      Cairns Tropical Pride Festival
2012       -      GALA Choral Festival, Denver, USA
2013       -      Hobart Out and Loud Festival during 15th anniversary year
               -      1st Queensland Pride Concert
2014       -      'My Country?' concert for IDAHO Day
               -      Choir performs at Various Voices GLBT Choral Festival, Dublin
               -      'Pride does Broadway' concert for Marriage Equality
2015       -      Regional Tour to Hervey Bay
2019     -     Out and Loud - Canberra
2021     -     Various Performances at Brisbane City Council Libraries
            -    Performance at Holy Trinity Church, Fortitude Valley.
            -    Small Steps: Coming Together concert, West End Uniting Church
2021/22    -       QAGOMA APT10 Opening and Closing Weekends

Musical Directors

1998 - 2011     -   Marina Aboody-Thacker
2011 - 2013     -   Marina Aboody-Thacker and Timothy Smetham
2013 - 2018    -   Tim Smetham
2018 - 2018    -   Robert Dryden
2018 - current - Elliot Rentoul