The Philadelphia Voices of Pride is a self-affirming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) vocal ensemble devoted to enhancing the musical, educational and cultural life in the Philadelphia area. We consider ourselves as ambassadors, promoting a positive image of the LGBT community by donating our time, talents and financial resources to benefit LGBT, HIV and Women’s organizations.
Who We Are
We are office managers, pharmacists, nurses, chefs, managers, college students. We are business owners, educators, care-givers and researchers. We are all these people and more. Members of the Philadelphia LGBTQ and Allied community who have come together to create an environment where all members, regardless of their singing experience, can meet to further their interest in singing, challenging themselves to reach beyond their current talent levels, as well as to form strong social and community ties.
A Brief History
In the summer of 2005, a group of former Spruce Street Singers members and a handful of women got together to form a new LGBTQ choral organization. From that initial meeting came Philadelphia Voices of Pride (PVOP), Philadelphia’s premiere mixed-voice LGBTQ chorus. From our first concert, the mission of the group was simple: perform challenging choral music and have fun doing so, while promoting and supporting a positive image of the Philadelphia LGBTQ community. Over the years the chorus has done just that, performing a mixture of classical and current music that has attracted new members and new audiences. In January 2009, PVOP hired its second Artistic Director, Dean Rishel, whose positive impact was immediately felt. PVOP has grown by leaps and bounds, challenging its members with more difficult music and thrilling audiences with a fuller, richer sound while still managing to convey a sense of fun on stage.
