by June Kamerling
The first time I met Lorenzo Ramsey and heard him sing was in a “Miss Smith Adult Performance Class”. To say that I was blown away by not only the strength, but by the smooth buttery wonderfulness of his voice would be an understatement.
In the short time that I’ve been singing with OGMC I’ve been lucky to be in the tenor section with Lorenzo.
I asked Lorenzo when he came to the chorus.
“I joined in 2012. I found OGMC online as I was looking for a chorus to join being new to the Bay Area. I had just moved here from Detroit and I was trying to decide which chorus to audition for. I did not even know that there was an Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus”.
Lorenzo left Michigan, his home, in search of and with a desire for equality. He had envisioned a life in Michigan, but he said it was a toxic environment with rampant racism in the suburbs and homophobia in Detroit.
“I had to accept that Michigan was not an ideal place for someone like me to marry and raise a family, so I moved to the Bay Area, which was known to be much more accepting of diversity.
In the process of my search for a chorus, I happened to run across a few YouTube videos and Stephanie Smith’s picture. I thought ‘OK, she’s kind of giving me Diva’!!”
Stephanie Lynne Smith was interim director of the chorus on and off for several seasons around that time.
Lorenzo auditioned for Stephanie.
I commented, “I’m sure there was no question, you were in!”
Lorenzo laughed and said “I had questions about whether or not I was in because she made us dance.
She tested our range and there was some sight reading…I think it was Carmina Burana…and then she started playing and said ‘I just want you to dance’…
I said ‘WHY?’ and she said ‘I want to get a sense of you being in your body’…”
To back up for a moment, Lorenzo told me about his musical background growing up…or lack of… Did he sing, take voice lessons, do musical theater? He said “NO, Not at all. I played violin and viola until high school. During my sophomore year, the choir teacher overheard my speaking voice in a class. She entered the classroom, pointed at me, and said, ‘Hey, you over there! I like the resonance in your voice. You are a tenor. I'm signing you up for chorus next year.’ I didn't see her for the rest of the year, but she found out my name and added it to my class schedule. My high school's chorus had ranked second in the state, but the entire tenor section graduated that year (which is why she was searching for tenors). When I joined this entire tenor section was brand new, but we brought home the state championship that year. My high school was the first from Detroit to win the state title”.
…And of course, Lorenzo was accepted into Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus.
Lorenzo didn’t know anyone else in the chorus, but he said that Wally Bee and Lawrence Turner were the first to embrace and welcome him into the “family”.
I asked him, “What was the chorus like then”?
“The chorus was smaller, less diverse, more of an older group of folks but a nice core group of people.
It was a lot of fun. Stephanie had literally a gun where she would shoot these golf ball things at people. I said, ‘This is the place for me’. It was great.”
Lorenzo said the chorus has changed over the 8 years he’s been in it.
“The chorus is larger, more diverse, a bit more committed to the community. We had a string of different choral directors over the years which came with various ups and downs.
We are now a more cohesive unit and we’re stronger for some of the adversities we’ve had to face”.
I asked if there is a direction he’d like to see the chorus take.
“I would love to see OGMC realize our spoken objectives regarding community outreach and greater diversity in the chorus… Practicing what we preach in all regards”.
Lorenzo had mentioned that the chorus was more diverse now than before. I asked if he meant ethnically, sexual orientation, otherwise?
“It was mostly gay men back then. Now we have trans members, women, younger members, people of all age groups”.
OGMC is community and family for many in the chorus. Lorenzo told me what he loves about the chorus. “The people of the chorus. They are genuinely wonderful people who will give you a hug, a sympathetic ear or a ride home when you need it”.
I couldn’t agree more….and we look forward to the day when we can all sing together again….and I can hear Lorenzo’s exquisite tenor voice a row or two behind me.
Voices from our Chorus David Guerra on Sewing Costumes, Singing Truths, and Finding Family By June Kamerling
Voices from our Chorus Fred Rogers Reflects on His OaklandGMC Journey By June Kamerling
Conducting Change: A Chat with Bruce Southard, D.M.A.
Support the Oakland Gay Men's Chorus this Pride Month!
By Seth Frost (He/Him), Board Secretary, Baritone. As we welcome Pride Month, it's a time to reflect, celebrate, and honor the journey of the Oakland Gay Men's Chorus (OGMC). Our chorus was established in 1999, and since joining in 2018, I have been proud to be part of this vibrant community. From my very first interaction, I felt a warm embrace, an invitation to be part of something bigger than myself. For many, like myself, OGMC has been a core connection to the queer community, especially for those who came out later in life. Performing shows is more than a passion; it's our way of enriching the broader community in Oakland and the SF Bay Area, showcasing the joy found in queer life. At the heart of OGMC is our mission statement: "The Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus gives voice through song to a community where everyone matters." This guiding principle shapes everything we do. Being in a chorus means standing bravely in public, singing, supporting each other, and creating something more beautiful than any of us could achieve alone. This Pride Month, we're particularly excited about our 25th Anniversary Season, featuring "You Can’t Stop The Beat." This show is a showcase of our talents, with small ensemble and solo pieces prepared by our members. It's also a preview of the music we'll be taking to the national GALA festival in Minneapolis later this summer. Songs like "True Colors" are on the lineup, and I can't wait to see my friends shine. Celebrating Pride in Oakland and at the GALA Festival is especially significant this year. Our recent commission from Marques L. A. Garrett, requested by popular demand, highlights the collaborative spirit of our members. This show, filled with solos and special performances, is a true celebration of our talented membership. What does Pride mean to you? Seth Frost (He/Him), Board Secretary, Baritone. Pride is a call to step forward and assert that we matter, that our voices deserve to be heard. Pride events counteract hate and help heal the shame within ourselves. Singing loudly and proudly, we offer comfort and a beacon to those who can't yet express themselves authentically. Our year-round performances often end with the chorus spreading out around the audience, fostering a sense of community, welcome, and safety for all. June Kamerling (She/Her), Tenor 1 Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ community and all it stands for. By participating in events like Oakland Pride and Alameda Pride, we give back to the community and practice visibility and inclusion. The impact of our events is profound, creating a supportive community where everyone feels they belong. Shawn Simon (He/Him), Board Vice President, Base Pride means being able to love ourselves unconditionally and seeing others empowered to live authentically. It's important to celebrate Pride to remind ourselves of our worth, connect with our community, and honor our history. Organizing events like our concerts has been profoundly impactful, creating an inclusive community and supporting local organizations.
By Melvin Terry March 31st was declared Cesar Chavez Day in 2014 by President Barack Obama. Cesar Chavez (March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) founded along with Delores Huerta the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) to become the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union . International Women’s Day was first celebrated in the early 20th century and became a mainstream global holiday in 1977. It helps to focus attention on women and concerns such as gender equality, equal wages, and violence and abuse against women. Another important issue is the lack of attention paid to the substantial contributions of women.
By Melvin Terry Oakland is a diverse vibrant community with a goldilocks climate and an assortment of parks and trails with opportunities for exercise, socializing, and stunning visuals. It also has the benefits and drawbacks that come with a large city. But did you know about the history of Black migration to Oakland in the 1940’s and the rich culture that flourished in West Oakland back then? 7th Street, now the home of West Oakland BART and the sprawling main post office, was the hub of the community. There were many Black owned businesses and music venues. It was bustling and the place to be.
By Melvin Terry It doesn’t seem so long ago when I first heard of GALA (GayLa), a sort of choral Olympics where queer folks from around the world get together every four years to celebrate our existence and joyously sing for each other. Well, it was 16 years ago, when I first joined the then Oakland East-Bay Gay Men’s Chorus in 2007.