Join Us
Sing With Us
New members are always welcome! Rehearsals begin September 4 for our December 2025 show, "Yuletide Radiance: From Darkness to Light," a luminous celebration of hope, joy, and renewal through music that will help usher in the warmth and wonder of the holiday season.
Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings, from 7 to 9:30 pm, at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 Fitzhugh St N, Rochester NY 14614. Each cycle includes a Saturday rehearsal retreat and one to two sectionals.
The holiday cycle runs September through December, the spring cycle runs January through March, and the summer Pride cycle runs April through July.
New members are asked to arrive to the first rehearsal at 6:30 to meet with Artistic Director Alex Kuczynski, who will take a few minutes to listen to your range and voice type using some simple vocalization. The voice placement is also an opportunity to chat with Alex about what you'd like to gain from your choral experience and to discuss the most effective ways for you to contribute to the ensemble.
The chorus is divided into four sections: Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Baritone, and Bass. All you need is a desire to sing, a voice range within one of the four sections, and attendance at rehearsals and the retreat. The chorus is a membership-based organization; each member is required to pay dues and volunteer throughout the cycle. Members who are not able to pay dues can receive financial assistance. No one is denied membership due to inability to pay dues.
For more information, email us or call us at 585-423-0650. We look forward to making music with you!
Rochettes
It all started in 1986, when members of the RGMC saw a queer tap troupe perform at a GALA Festival and thought, Rochester needs that! The Rochettes put on their first performance just six weeks later.
To date, more than 70 performers have stepped into dance shoes as Rochettes, all shaped by dedicated choreographers like Cayla Allen, Ericka Atkinson, and Jamie Lee Proteus, who have taken us from basic tap to jazz squares to hip-hop, and we are grateful!
For nearly 40 years, the Rochettes have served high kicks, jazz hands, and unapologetic queer joy across the country — all while dancing through grief, resilience, and love during the AIDS crisis and beyond.
Today, we find ourselves again (or still) singing and dancing for our lives, this time in the face of legislation aimed at erasing our identity and denying our trans siblings healthcare. As long as we have breath and can count to 8, we won’t stop dancing for visibility, community, and pride. Thank you, Rochester, for your support all along the way.
Want more information on how to join the Rochettes? Email rochettes@thergmc.org.
Teddy Bears
The Teddy Bears (named for one of the first songs they performed as a group) is a small, select group that performs at RGMC concerts and for outside performances where the whole chorus might not be able to appear. Membership in the group is determined by an audition, which consists of singing a prepared solo for the director and other members of the group.
Singers who are interested in auditioning for the Teddy Bears should contact the RGMC artistic director or the coordinator of the Teddy Bears.
Volunteer
Interested in helping the Rochester Gay Men's Chorus behind the scenes?
The RGMC is always looking for dedicated volunteers to support our many events and activities throughout the year.
Opportunities include, but are not limited to:
• Ushers
• Stuffers (mailings, envelope stuffing, etc.)
• Costumers (costume organization and maintenance)
• Party / event organizers (kickoffs, announcements, etc.)
• Marketers (publicity, advertising, etc.)
No experience required!
To find out more, please email info@thergmc.org or call (585) 423-0650.