Founded in 1988, Desert Voices is Arizona's premier LGBTQIA+ and ally chorus. We are a nonprofit corporation committed to promoting the ongoing and positive gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender presence in our community. We advocate understanding, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence. Our chorus is a unique and diverse mix of LGBTQIA+ people and allies all singing together with one voice. Our unique chorus welcomes all voices to attend our rehearsals and to come to our performances, regardless of age, gender, race, creed, sexuality, or gender identity or expression. Since Desert Voices began its journey in 1988, our voices have been heard in performances all throughout Arizona and at Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) Festivals. Our family is constantly growing and looking for new members, fans, and friends to support our mission statement:
Fostering Community Through Song
Desert Voices is a proud member of GALA Choruses, an international association of 180 gay and lesbian choruses, as diverse as the communities they represent. GALA Chorus membership includes more than ten thousand proud lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender persons, and their friends and families across North America, Europe, and Australia. GALA's mission is to inspire and strengthen the international lesbian and gay community through song and through unity. Desert Voices is also a member of the American Choral Directors Association and Chorus America.
Desert Voices is an inclusive chorus organized to provide the opportunity for LGBTQIA+ and allies together in order to:
Desert Voices is an inclusive chorus organized to provide the opportunity for LGBTQIA+ and allies together in order to:
- Build community within and outside the Chorus through our love of music.
- Produce shows that are entertaining and musically excellent.
- Perform music that reflects the lives of the LGBTQA community.
- Promote an ongoing, positive LGBTQA presence in our community.
- Advance positive social change.
Small Groups
Desert Voices has three auditioned groups within the chorus that feature the many talented singers in our membership. Members of these groups participate in outreach events and may require additional rehearsal time outside of regular rehearsals. Auditions for Prizm and other groups happen once per year in January and membership is for the calendar year. In the event that as space opens up, members can be approached to audition and fill the vacant spot. The ability to read music is not necessarily a requirement, but you must be able to learn music independently. You must have recently sung in a recent Desert Voices concert to be eligible to audition, and you must commit to attending rehearsals and events where the groups are scheduled to sing.
Prizm: an auditioned mixed group (SATB) of 20-24 members.
Iridescence: an auditioned group of sopranos and altos with 8-12 members.
Resonance: an auditioned group of tenors and basses with 8-12 members.
Desert Voices has three auditioned groups within the chorus that feature the many talented singers in our membership. Members of these groups participate in outreach events and may require additional rehearsal time outside of regular rehearsals. Auditions for Prizm and other groups happen once per year in January and membership is for the calendar year. In the event that as space opens up, members can be approached to audition and fill the vacant spot. The ability to read music is not necessarily a requirement, but you must be able to learn music independently. You must have recently sung in a recent Desert Voices concert to be eligible to audition, and you must commit to attending rehearsals and events where the groups are scheduled to sing.
Prizm: an auditioned mixed group (SATB) of 20-24 members.
Iridescence: an auditioned group of sopranos and altos with 8-12 members.
Resonance: an auditioned group of tenors and basses with 8-12 members.