1986 - Rodger Pettyjohn and Gay Games II

As 1986 began, we had good news - a new Musical Director, Rodger Pettyjohn. He was the founder of Die Maennerstimmen, a Bay Area men's chamber chorus in 1980 and was a co-founder and member of the Society of Gay and Lesbian Composers. Our new accompanist was Dwight Okamura, who had been a pianist with the San Francisco Symphony and the Symphony Chorus, as well as doing arrangements for film and television scores.  

The first concert with Rodger Pettyjohn was called This is Our Country, and a portion of ticket sales was donated to the Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund in the name of the Lesbian and Gay Community of San Francisco as a positive statement to the people of our country regarding the contribution we are making to society. We sang selections from West Side Story and A Chorus Line, a couple of traditional spirituals, two folk songs and music of Simon and Garfunkel. Featured was a quartet of the chorus named Muni Transfer, which sang two Manhattan Transfer songs.

The next concert was the 8th Annual Pride Concert. It was called A Little Guts and Lots of Glitter. There were two concerts and we sang in the Friday night concert. There were lots of performers so that is why there were two concerts. They included the San Francisco Lesbian Chorus, Barbary Coast Cloggers, Men About Town, the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band, Society of Gay and Lesbian Composers, SFGMC, Liedermann Gay Men's Chorus of San Jose, Foggy City Dancers, and City Swing and Vocal Minority.

Our next performance was the Inaugural Concert of Gay Games II Cultural Week. This featured us and the Society of Gay and Lesbian Composers. This was held at First Unitarian Church on two nights, August 1 and 5. We also sang as part of the mass chorus for the closing ceremonies of Gay Games II at Kezar Stadium.

Our final performance this year was as guests of SFGMC in their Now Sing With Hearts Aglow at Mission High School.