sa国际传媒官网网页入口

鈥淓xistence Is Resistance: A Pride Concert,鈥� produced by the New Mexico Gay Men鈥檚 Chorus, is more than a concert; it is a reaction and a rallying cry.  

鈥淭his Pride concert is more of a social justice concert,鈥� Aaron Howe, artistic director, said, 鈥渁nd I wanted it to be something that was a reaction to what is happening in our country.鈥�

Howe said the chorus is a nonprofit organization and doesn鈥檛 advocate for any political party. But it does understand the LGBTQ community is part of the political process. As laws are being enacted to restrict people鈥檚 freedom and ability to live their lives authentically, he said, it was up to them to respond. 

鈥淚 think people do look to the Gay Men鈥檚 Chorus as to what do we think about what鈥檚 going on and perhaps even to give people some encouragement,鈥� Howe said.

Music is a powerful force that brings people together and gives them the strength to move in the direction needed, he said. 鈥淓xistence is Resistance鈥� was born from the desire to create this movement, Howe said. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 the idea that just existing in public is a statement, it鈥檚 a political statement, and it does move people,鈥� Howe said.

鈥淔or many years, LGBTQ people have been marching and have been lifting their voices to get the human dignity and rights that they are owed,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd we can鈥檛 stop now.鈥� 

Robb Sisneros, stage director, said this is his fifth time working with the chorus, and each performance has had a different energy. 

He said when 鈥渆xistence is resistance鈥� became the call in the music, he wanted to gel the stage directions to this idea, focusing on adding dancers and lighting cues. The music is organized into 鈥渢ag words鈥� like acceptance, belonging and authenticity, he said. 

Leading this rallying cry, he said, is Vanessa Patricks, who will be joining the choir. 

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we鈥檙e going to sort of create the concert and work the community and audience into it,鈥� Sisneros said, 鈥渁nd she will be sort of playing host but more leading this rally and connecting the music throughout.鈥�

Howe said the music is pop-focused, though it spans several decades. The program includes music from Kelly Clarkson, Foreigner and Chappell Roan. 

Some selections will be sweet and melancholy, with others being more tender, he said, 鈥渂ut most of it is going to be a celebration.鈥� 

Music is always a part of a movement from assemblies to marches, he said. It is instinctual for humans to want music in what they do, Sisneros said. 

鈥淢usic is just a way that we express our deep emotions and that we collectively connect to other people,鈥� Howe said. 鈥淲hen you sing with another person, you are connected with them.鈥�

Howe wants 鈥淓xsistance is Resistance鈥� to help people in New Mexico understand they can鈥檛 be compliant. 

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to let my audiences, who do live in a safe state, feel like that they can just sort of sit back and watch the rest of our country burn,鈥� Howe said. 鈥淲e have to be vigilant everywhere 鈥� in a way that we are not sort of letting ourselves be too complacent about it, we have to find a way to be part of the struggle.鈥� 

He wants the message to be that people can be who they are in public without apology, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Sisneros wants this same message to come across. 

鈥淭he message that I definitely see within our script moving forward is the battle isn鈥檛 over, the fight isn鈥檛 over 鈥�,鈥� Sisneros said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just as the title says, existence, and we as a community have a right to be a part of this community and not have to hide ourselves away.鈥�

鈥淚 am from a generation that stopped hiding a long time ago, and I refuse to turn the clock back on my last years,鈥� Sisneros said, 鈥渁nd I refuse to allow the clock to be turned back on the generation that I鈥檓 leaving this world to. That鈥檚 not what my existence meant.鈥�

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.