As part of our continuing series introducing the people who help keep the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus (OGMC) running smoothly, I had the pleasure of talking with Dustin Bankston, our longtime member and current Tenor 2 Section Leader.

The Journey to OGMC

June: Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start) :-). How did you find your way to OGMC?

Dustin: I joined in 2011, after moving here from Sacramento, where I had attended law school and sung with the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus. Singing in a gay men’s chorus was already an important part of my life, so joining OGMC was a natural next step.

June: Tell me about your musical background. Was singing always part of your life?

Dustin: Yes! I sang in high school choir, participated in music at church, and sang with a men’s glee club in college. I also did show choir and played trumpet in marching band. Most of my experience has been in choral music rather than musical theater, but music has been a consistent part of my life.

June: You’ve been around long enough to see quite a few changes in OGMC!  Are there still people singing with the chorus who were here when you joined?

Dustin: There are a few familiar faces. I remember John Rogers, James, Jeff, Chris Cabell, Wally Bee and Brad Murdock from those early days. But most of the people singing with us now have joined since I did. It’s been interesting to see the membership change and grow over the years. 

Volunteering with OGMC Leadership

June: You’ve served as Tenor 2 Section Leader for about three years in your current stint. How did you first get involved in that role?

Dustin: Stephanie Smith appointed me section leader relatively early in my time with OGMC. I served for a number of years, then stepped away when I became board president, a role I held for three years. After that, I returned to being section leader when Dan Burton stepped down.

June: Every section has its own personality. There’s more to it than just knowing who’s singing which part! What does being a section leader mean to you? 

Dustin: Attendance and accountability are important. You need to know who’s going to be there, communicate with the singers, and help make sure the section is prepared. We’ve made improvements in how we track attendance, including the planned-absence system, which makes things more efficient. The Tenor 2 section has also grown quite a bit, and most of the singers know what is expected of them.

June: So there’s a little organization and discipline behind the music!

Dustin: Definitely. But I think the role is manageable, and you can make it your own. You figure out what works for your section and how best to keep people informed and involved.

June: You’ve also had a different perspective through your years on the board. How did that experience influence your work with the chorus?

Dustin: My professional background as an immigration lawyer was helpful, particularly when I was board president. The pandemic brought some extraordinary challenges, and having professional experience dealing with complicated situations was useful. The legal work and the chorus work weren’t exactly the same, of course, but some of those skills carried over.

OGMC Welcomes Women and Trans Members

June: The chorus has certainly been through a lot of changes, including who can be part of a gay men’s chorus. OGMC has increasingly welcomed women and transgender singers. How do you see that evolution?

Dustin: It’s been an important conversation for the organization. There’s a balance between preserving a safe and affirming space for gay men and welcoming other people who support our community and want to sing with us. The chorus has had to think about what its identity means as it evolves. 

June: As one of the early straight women to join OGMC, I remember wondering how I would be received. I knew a bunch of the members already and fortunately, I was warmly welcomed. I think it’s possible to honor the chorus’s history and its original purpose while also making room for people who share its spirit and values. 

Dustin: Right. Organizations can evolve while still honoring where they came from. The important thing is being thoughtful about that evolution and about the community we want to create.

Hopes for OGMC's Future

June: Looking at OGMC today, what are you enjoying most about the direction we're taking?

Dustin: I like the energy we have now and the things Ben and Gabriel are bringing to the chorus. I’m especially enjoying the increased emphasis on production numbers and show-choir elements. It gives us new things to work on and adds another dimension to what we do.

June: And when you think about the future, do you have a particular vision for OGMC? Bigger membership, new programs, more ambitious productions?

Dustin: I tend to prefer a flexible approach rather than setting a lot of specific growth targets. For me, the important thing is that we continue to be a welcoming place where people can perform, make music together, and enjoy being part of a community. If we keep doing that well, we’re on the right track. Less important is how many singers, but more the quality of the music and heart of the community.

June: I love that. The music is what brings us together, but the people are what makes it meaningful.

Stay tuned for the next installment of our Notes series featuring OGMC’s section leaders!