The Stonewall Chorale

What The Stonewall Chorale does

The Stonewall Chorale is a nonprofit LGBTQIA+ community chorus incorporated and based in New York City, founded in December 1977 originally as the Gotham Male Chorus and renamed in 1979 when women joined. It holds the distinction of being the nation's first LGBTQ+ choir and has completed 48 seasons, currently preparing for its 50th anniversary season spanning fall 2026 through spring 2027. The ensemble produces three major concerts per year at prestige NYC venues including Merkin Hall, Carnegie Hall, Church of the Holy Apostles, Riverside Church, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Alice Tully Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall, with additional appearances at Pride and special events throughout the tri-state area.

The core product is live choral performance of classical and contemporary works, including commissioned pieces such as Andrea Clearfield's 'Here I Am: I Am Here' and the 2019 co-commission 'Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall 50.' Supporting offerings include a ChorusConnection-powered member portal, a print-on-demand merchandise store (apparel and accessories priced $11–$51, fulfilled by Printful.com), and the Stonewall Chorale Archive launched in 2025 to document the organization's history. The technology stack is non-proprietary: a Wix website, ChorusConnection for tickets and membership, Printful for fulfillment, and standard social media for outreach.

The business model is a typical small-arts nonprofit: revenue is generated from concert ticket sales ($25–$40 per ticket), merchandise, tax-deductible donations (including a structured 50 for 50 Campaign for the anniversary season), and grants such as the Creative Engagement Grant from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Marketing runs through event-driven engagement, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, earned media, and the WQXR-FM broadcast partnership. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Emily McSpadden, with Nick Sienkiewicz appointed as the next Artistic Director in 2025 to succeed Cynthia Powell in June 2027.

Name

The Stonewall Chorale

Legal name

The Stonewall Chorale

Website

https://stonewallchorale.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Stonewall Chorale is New York City's first LGBTQ+ community chorus, founded in 1977, performing three annual concerts of classical and contemporary choral works at premier NYC venues for LGBTQIA+ audiences, choral music enthusiasts, and prospective singing members in the tri-state area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Choral Performance Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAB

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ choral performances
• Community chorus services
• Live concert performances
• Choral music ensemble
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to three annual concerts and special performances. General admission ranges from $35-40, with student/senior pricing at $25.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, caps) and accessories (mugs, enamel mugs). Products are print-on-demand fulfilled by Printful.com.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations supporting singers, artistic programming, and LGBTQ+ choral music. Currently running a 50 for 50 Campaign to launch the historic 50th anniversary season.
4. Grants: Creative Engagement Grant from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council used to fund premiere performances and other projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Stonewall Chorale is a nonprofit LGBTQIA+ community chorus based in New York City that performs classical and contemporary choral works at approximately three annual concerts plus special event appearances. The organization also operates a digital archive documenting its history, sells branded merchandise through an online shop, and accepts tax-deductible donations to support its mission of amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices through choral music.

Product overview

The Stonewall Chorale is the nation's first LGBTQ+ choir, founded in 1977 and based in New York City. The organization operates as a unified offering centered on live choral performances presented three times annually, featuring a dynamic repertoire that amplifies LGBTQIA+ voices. Supporting the core performance product, the organization offers ChorusConnection as a membership portal for news distribution and calendar management, a digital archive documenting 50 years of history, and an online merchandise shop powered by Printful.com. The 50th Anniversary Season repertoire includes 'Considering Matthew Shepard' and 'Carmina Burana.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Concert Performances Live choral performances presented three times yearly at NYC venues, including annual Pride concerts, spring concerts, and special themed performances featuring a dynamic and diverse classical and contemporary repertoire. Open to audience members and cultural event attendees.
• The Stonewall Chorale Archive A digital archive documenting the choir's 50-year history through recordings, photographs, programs, press clippings, oral history interviews, and historical ephemera. Available to researchers, members, and the public.
• Stonewall Chorale Shop Online merchandise shop selling branded apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, bomber jackets, baseball caps, ceramic mugs, and enamel mugs, fulfilled through Printful.com. Available to supporters and general consumers.
• Chorale Membership Auditions Audition opportunities for prospective singers to join the ensemble for the 50th Anniversary season, open to singers of all musical experience levels who commit to the mission and high performance standards.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Printful.comminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrint-on-demand fulfillment partner for The Stonewall Chorale's online merchandise shop. Handles production and shipping of branded apparel and accessories.
• WQXRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNew York classical music radio station (WQXR-FM) partnered with The Stonewall Chorale for Pride celebrations, including 'Queen of the Night with Thorgy Thor' event. The live performance was broadcast and streamed on WQXR-FM, expanding the Chorale's reach to radio listeners.
• Coro AllegrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavid Hodgkins, Artistic Director of Coro Allegro, attended The Stonewall Chorale's spring concert. Coro Allegro is the choir that originally commissioned Andrea Clearfield's 'Here I Am: I Am Here' work.
• Gay Men's Chorus of Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned 'Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall 50' in 2019, the largest collaboration in LGBTQ+ chorus history with participation from LGBTQ+ choruses across the U.S.
• New York City Gay Men's ChoruscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned 'Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall 50' in 2019, the largest collaboration in LGBTQ+ chorus history with participation from LGBTQ+ choruses across the U.S.
• ChorusConnectioncoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides a centralized platform for The Stonewall Chorale to share chorale news, download music files, and sync calendars. Also used for ticket sales through tickets.chorusconnection.com.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seattle Men's Chorus (Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center): Long-running LGBTQ+ chorus in Seattle with a large membership and broad classical-pop programming. Comparable scale ambition and community-chorus operating model.
• Anna Crusis Women's Choir: Philadelphia-based LGBTQ+ women's choral organization with a similar community-led, audition-based operating model and classical-contemporary repertoire mix.
• Coro Allegro: Boston-based LGBTQ+ chorus that originally commissioned Andrea Clearfield's 'Here I Am: I Am Here,' which Stonewall premiered in New York. Direct artistic collaboration peer with shared LGBTQ+ choral mission.
• New York City Gay Men's Chorus: A New York City-based LGBTQ+ chorus and co-commissioner on 'Quiet No More.' Closest geographic peer with overlapping audience, donor base, and venue footprint.
• Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles: One of the largest LGBTQ+ choruses in the U.S. and a co-commissioner with Stonewall of 'Quiet No More: A Choral Celebration of Stonewall 50'. Directly comparable mission, repertoire style, and community-chorus operating model.
• Lavender Light: The Black & Lesbian Choral Ensemble: New York City LGBTQ+ choral ensemble focused on intersectional programming. Direct NYC peer competing for overlapping singers, audiences, and Pride-event bookings.
• San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus: Pioneering LGBTQ+ chorus with a decades-long track record of classical and contemporary programming. Comparable mission, artistic ambition, and national visibility in the LGBTQ+ choral space.
• Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus: One of the oldest continuously operating LGBTQ+ choruses in the U.S. with comparable classical-plus-contemporary programming and community-ensemble operating model.

Regional players

• Manhattan Chorale: New York City-based community chorus presenting classical choral works. Comparable repertoire, venue footprint, and audience demographics, though not LGBTQ+-focused.
• Heartland Men's Chorus: Kansas City-based LGBTQ+ chorus serving a different metro. Comparable mission and choral format, but does not compete for NYC audiences or donors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stonewallchorale
• Instagraminstagram.com/stonewallchorale
• Xx.com/stonewallsings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Stonewall Chorale