Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, is hitting the road again following a wonderfully successful concert tour last month of Hays and Salina. On Friday, July 1st, a touring ensemble of the Chorus will make stops in the Kansas cities of Topeka, Abilene, and Russell singing a few a cappella songs at each stop that are appropriate for the July 4th weekend. All performances are free and suitable for all ages.

The first stop will be at noon in Topeka on the front lawn of Equality House at 1200 SW Orleans Street (www.plantingpeace.org/equality). Coincidentally, this location happens to be directly across the street from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. The singers will turn toward the church compound to ensure their voices of diversity and inclusion can be heard by those who hide behind outlandish signs and hateful beliefs.

Our second stop will be at 2:30pm in Abilene on the front steps of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum at 200 SE Fourth Street. We look forward to singing for a cross-section of tourists who will be visiting this famous central Kansas landmark. (www.eisenhower.archives.gov).

HMC’s third stop will be at 5:00pm in Russell at the Deines Cultural Center at 820 N. Main Street (www.deinesculturalcenter.org). Russell is well known as the boyhood hometown of two United States Senators, Bob Dole and Arlen Specter. Chorus members look forward to meeting local residents preparing to start their holiday weekend with our selection of patriotic songs.

The Chorus will overnight in Colby and then continue on to Denver for the GALA Choruses International Festival where they will be performing to a sold-out crowd in the 3,000-seat Buell Theater at the Denver Performing Arts Center on July 5th.
(http://galachoruses.org/events/gala-festival)

ABOUT HEARTLAND MEN’S CHORUS – Heartland Men’s Chorus (www.hmckc.org) is Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, now in its 30th anniversary season. Founded with 30 singers to make music, HMC quickly became a safe oasis for a community scarred by fear and hatred and plagued by a virus. Now with upward of 125 singers, Heartland Men’s Chorus is a vital part of Kansas City’s burgeoning arts and cultural scene. HMC has made the historic Folly Theater its performance home for the past 23 years and The Kansas City Star recently cited HMC as “one of the most beloved arts institutions in Kansas City.”

INSPIRED BY HISTORY
Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, presents I RISE, our 30th anniversary concert that looks back at our proud history while looking forward with the inspiring words of the late United States Poet Laureate, Dr. Maya Angelou.

The first half of our concert features songs that are memorable milestones of our incredible history starting with Brothers Sing Out which was performed at our very first concert in 1986. Since then, our audiences have been moved to tears, offered raucous laughter and reflected upon songs that resonate with them for so many different reasons. Our first half selections are the musical gems of Heartland Men’s Chorus.

The second half of the concert will offer songs that evoke the feeling and memories of the safe places we call home, followed by the world premiere of I Rise our newly commissioned piece by internationally renowned composer Mark Hayes and inspired by the poems of Maya Angelou. HMC is the first chorus to receive rights from Dr. Angelou’s estate to make use of her poetry in a significant musical work.

“Her poetry is synonymous with Civil Rights and elevating oneself and ones’ surrounding community,” says HMC Artistic Director Dustin Cates. “It’s only fitting for Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus to commission and present this significant work.”

HMC is proud to be collaborating with the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey as four of their dancers, directed by Chief Artistic Officer Tyrone Aiken, will interpret I Rise on stage with the Chorus.

“This concert is a perfect way to celebrate the rich history of an incredibly unique arts organization,” says Cates. “No other chorus in the Great Plains does what we do, or draws such large crowds, or provides a message that entertains, but also heals and inspires.”

I RISE will be performed 8 p.m. Saturday, June 11 and 4 p.m. Sunday, June 12 at the Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th Street in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Tickets ranging in price from $18 to $43 are available online at www.hmckc.org/tickets/ or by calling 816-931-3338.
Come as you are, dress is casual, be ready to be inspired!

Steve Wilson | BroadwayWorld.com

Diversity in the American family is the theme of Modern Families presented by the Heartland Men’s Chorus at the Folly Theater on March 28 and 29. The chorus continues with its series of musical documentaries that use music, narration, and multi-media elements to illustrate social issues.

“I wanted to celebrate the love and dignity that all families deserve,” said Dustin S. Cates, Artistic Director for the chorus. “There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ family. It seems every person defines the word family in slightly different way.” Heartland Men’s Chorus, Kansas City’s gay men’s chorus, will present songs and stories specific to LGBT families but Cates expects the concert to appeal to all types of families.

Music from the production is diverse, including classical works, contemporary pop songs, and rap. The program opens with the Lawrence Children’s Choir performing a set of four songs. The men’s chorus joins them in “The Weaver,” a new commission by local composer Jacob Narverud. The first act includes “Luminescence,” an original song by Dr. Andrea Ramsey, which commemorates the birth of Cates son, Emmaus.

The musical documentary comprises the concert‘s second act, and includes “Not My Father’s Son” from the Broadway musical Kinky Boots, Annie Lennox‘s “A Thousand Beautiful Things,” and Rene Clausen’s “Set Me as a Seal.” “Marry Us” and “In My Mother’s Eyes” two popular songs by Robert Seeley will be featured. “Same Love” by Ryan Lewis and Macklemore marks the first time the men’s chorus performs a contemporary rap number and features local rap artist EvoKlone Alex.

Nancy Bean, a Kansas City adoption social worker and member of MAFA, will facilitate a pre-show discussion on the topic of family building in the LGBT community beginning 20 minutes prior to each performance. To further illustrate the diversity in contemporary families, audience members are invited to submit photos of their “modern families” via the chorus’s website, to be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #OurModernFamilies.

Modern Families runs at the Folly Theater at 8 p.m. on Saturday March 28 and 4 p.m. on Sunday March 29. Purchase tickets by calling 816-931-3338 or online at the Heartland Men’s Chorus website. Photo courtesy of the Heartland Men’s Chorus.

Ciara Ried | Liberty Press

The Heartland Men’s Chorus (HMC) has announced Dustin Cates as its new artistic director. A life-long Kansas Citian, Cates says he has always enjoyed attending HMC performances and appreciates their impact on the community.

A search committee that included chorus members, past board chairs, community arts leaders, donors and chorus staff conducted an extensive nationwide search to fill the position. Cates is thrilled to become the next artistic director of HMC. “If you would have asked me a year ago if I would be doing anything but teaching high school choral music I would have told you that you were nuts,” he says. “Second only to my husband and our little boy, teaching high school choir was my life’s greatest joy. The opportunity I had to impact the lives of the students that sat in my classroom every day was a reward like none other.”

An opportunity presented itself last spring; Cates was given the chance to work with HMC as a guest conductor for last spring’s concert, I am Harvey Milk. Through this experience, he was able to get to know the men in the chorus. “They shared with me their stories, I saw the support and genuine care they had for one another and most importantly I saw the powerful impact they had on our city,” he says. “I quickly came to realize that, while I was stepping out of a role where I felt as though I was making a difference, my leadership role as the artistic director of Heartland Men’s Chorus allows me to continue to work to make our city and our world a better place in some pretty amazing ways!”

In addition to his guest conductor role, Cates says his previous experience prepared him well for this artistic director position. He attended college at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He taught high school choral music for 11 years, and served on the music ministry staff at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, and performed with theater companies throughout Kansas City.

“I work to be the kind of person who sees every experience as preparation for what comes next,” he says. “Each of these experiences has shaped who I am and the kind of artistic director I strive to be for Heartland Men’s Chorus.”

Cates joins HMC as the organization prepares to begin its 29th season. The first show of the new season will be Kansas City Christmas, HMC’s official annual kick-off to the holidays. “The concert features seasonal classics that we know and love, fun holiday songs and some outrageously hilarious and campy numbers as only HMC can do,” Cates says.

Given the amount of buzz Kansas City has experienced recently (how about those Royals?), Cates says the holiday show will cast the spotlight on local pride. “Especially with the recent national spotlight on our city I think there is a sense of civic pride that I’ve not encountered in a lifetime of living here,” he says. “With Kansas City Christmas, we will celebrate that civic pride, some of Kansas City’s finest composers, performers and of course, Kansas City’s own, Heartland Men’s Chorus.”

The second show under Cates’ direction will be an original musical documentary that celebrates and tells the story of the changing face of the American family. The final show of the year will celebrate the music of famed contemporary musical theatre composer Stephen Schwartz, whose works include music from Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, and Prince of Egypt.

Cates says the concert will also include the Midwest premiere of Testimony, a work written by Stephen Schwartz utilizing material from Dan Savage’s It Gets Better Project.

Kellie Houx | KC Studio

The Heartland Men’s Chorus has a new artistic director and he plans on capturing all the positivity he can when it comes to hometown pride during his first outing as director. The season opener is called Kansas City Christmas. New Artistic Director Dustin Cates is getting about 150 members ready to presents “more sparkle than the Plaza lights.” The concert includes new arrangements of holiday favorites by five local composers, including an arrangement of some of Handel’s Messiah choruses set for men’s voices. There will also be special guests from the worlds of local politics, drag, pop and classical music. The season opener is 8 p.m. Dec 5, 8 pm. Dec. 6 and 4 p.m. Dec. 7.

Cates is not unfamiliar with the Heartland Men’s Chorus. He was the guest director for I Am Harvey Milk, an oratorio by Broadway composer Andrew Lippa celebrating the life and legacy of the civil rights hero. “I love the concept of social justice that is part of this group’s DNA. HMC really strives to make the world a better world. The better world can include enjoying the holiday season.”

Cates is native to Kansas City. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, and a Master of Science in School Leadership from Baker University. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education and American Choral Directors Association. He serves on the Alumni Board for the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and the UMKC Chancellors LGBTQIA Advisory Board. Cates is the President-Elect of the Kansas Choral Directors Association, a group that awarded him the Kansas Outstanding Young Choral Director Award in 2009. He was previously a teacher at Raytown South and Shawnee Mission South, including supporting a significant theater program that staged two musicals annually. He worked for six years as Director of Choral Activities at Olathe East High School and is a member of the music ministry team at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.

“I also went to college with Joe Nadeau (the previous HMC artistic director) so I knew a lot of the wide variety of music and the work of the organization,” he says. “Changing from teaching to serving as artistic director hasn’t really changed my excitement. Whether it is with the kids or the community singers, I knew I wasn’t losing anything. I knew there would be incredible purpose.” With the Dinner of Note in early October, Cates started building relationships. He also ventures out on calls with prospective donors, seeking support.

As the group prepares for Christmas, Cates makes sure that the men find a positive environment. “Rehearsals are a place where everyone can feel comfortable, emotional and vulnerable. If I show these traits, we all rise in these qualities and the music gets better.”

With Christmas, the men are working on music that is a veritable potpourri of sacred music, holiday favorites and a few farcical tunes. “There really is something for everyone,” Cates says. He has brought in five composers. Jacob Narverud has a master’s degree in conducting from the UMKC Conservatory and Cates and he met through the Kansas City Chorale. His contribution to the performances are the choruses from The Messiah, arranged for men’s voices. Soprano Sarah Tannehill will perform with the group. Eugene Butler is another composer who specializes in providing choir music for high schools, churches and colleges. Lyndell Leatherman orchestrates and composes. He has combined the traditional I Saw Three Ships with a humorous piece called Pirate Song. “We are calling this area the Songs of the Sea –son,” he explains. “The first half will be more lighthearted. The second half will include Mark Hayes, one of the biggest choral composers. He may even play with the chorus. His piece is an arrangement of I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Then there is John Leavitt as well. He has several Christmas pieces in his repertoire.”

Cates promises the traditional pieces, but even a few of those will be turned on their collective heads. As an example, there is a Variations on Jingle Bells that has a Sound of Music feel. “With each number, we are featuring a Kansas City artist, composer, performer or more. Christmas in Kansas City features the pop stylings of Dustin Rapier.” A drum line, most likely from Park Hill South, will join the chorus on an arrangement of Little Drummer Boy.

The campy parts will have chorus members dressed as monks for Christmas in the Cloister. This opens the second half, he says. “It’s irreverent and continues with Christmas Tree Angel with drag queen Genewa Stanwyck trying to climb onto the top of a Christmas tree.”

Like most parents of a 3-year-old, Cates and his husband have seen and listened to the music of Frozen a lot. “We have a parody with DeDe Deville channeling her best Elsa,” he says. “Then we have a little more fun with Hanukkah in Santa Monica, written by the great parody and humor composer Tom Lehrer.”

Cates vows that the chorus will continue the driving concept of TLC – tears, laughter and chills. “Any good choral programming has to include laughter, some high art, some emotion … it is about crafting a program that is robust and provides a full experience.” The concert will run about two hours.

With the shows scheduled for early December, Cates hopes to attract some choral lovers who want to help kick off their holiday season. “As a former audience member, I know that the holiday performance set the mood for the season. I want to provide fun music and a great show that becomes a tradition for others. We want to be included in all those thoughts about what is traditionally a Kansas City Christmas.”

Personally, Cates and his husband Dr. Raymond Cattaneo celebrate St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6. Plus Cates loves Christmas trees. There are at least eight decorated throughout their home. “We have too many to mention,” he says. “This year, I am thinking about adding one where all our medals from various races are the ornaments and the bibs with our race numbers are turned into the tree skirt. As a high school choral director, I loved preparing for the big holiday concert. It’s my tradition and with the Heartland Men’s Chorus, I get to continue that tradition.”