With the support of Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, Opus One brought a unique musical event to our community. Opus One, a non-profit choral ensemble founded in 2012 in Reading, aims to offer local vocal musicians an affordable, collaborative space to perform diverse choral music and foster appreciation for the choral arts in the community.
On October 11th, they held Coming Out: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Composers at Calvary UCC in Reading. The concert honored the contributions and stories of LGBTQ+ composers throughout history. Thanks to the funding, Opus One collaborated with local groups like Reading Pride, The LGBTQ+ Center of Greater Reading, the Spectrum, All Souls Ecumenical Church, and KU Allies to make this event memorable.
“The concert was not just about enjoying music. It was also a chance to educate the community on an often-overlooked part of classical music history. Many people do not realize that some classical composers were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Unfortunately, their identities were sometimes hidden or misunderstood in history.” says Christopher Hoster, Executive Director of Opus One. Through this concert, Opus One took a key step in honoring these composers and the personal stories they brought to their music.
The concert allowed the audience to view these composers from a different point of view, adding a layer of understanding to the music. This deeper connection between music, identity and culture helped create a lasting impact on those who attended.
The support from the Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back Fund of Berks County Community Foundation assisted in the covering of essential costs like music, advertising, and publicity. This fund supports projects and programs that affirm and enhance the lives of LGBTQ+ youth in Berks County. Created with a portion of the proceeds from the annual Reading Pride Celebration Festival, this fund allows educators and community organizations to develop or expand programming that directly impacts the lives of LGBTQ+ students in Berks County.
With community support, Opus One is creating a more inclusive environment through the arts.
If you would like to learn more about the Reading Pride Celebration Gives Back Fund of Berks County Community Foundation and how your gift could help foster inclusivity and support within our community, please click here.
