Come Sing with Us
The Queer Joy Chorus grew out of Northampton Community Music Center (NCMC) Pride Chorus* members who share a dream to bring more Queer Joy to Western Mass and beyond through partnerships, performances, and mutual aid.
Our chorus is about inclusion, community, and making beautiful music together. Anyone is welcome to join—no previous singing experience or audition necessary.
We are amazed at the growth of this vital program, and we have found a new rehearsal space to accommodate the 70+ choral members we expect in the fall 2024 semester without a waiting list!
NCMC Pride Chorus will be Monday nights from 7-8:30pm in Northampton - registered members will receive detailed location information.
Registration is $220 per semester (15 weeks 75min/week on Monday nights), with partial and full scholarships available.
**Note that for the Academic year of 2024-2025, all Queer Joy Chorus members will first register for Northampton Community Music Center Pride Chorus and then invited to perform as Queer Joy for all but the two NCMC performances. —->
Musical Director Mara Levi
Mara Levi is a dynamic musical leader, merging roles as an arranger, composer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and educator with a spirit deeply rooted in community-building. Serving as the director of the Pride Chorus for all of its five years, Mara has helped shape it into a beacon of inclusivity and musical excellence. With academic backgrounds in jazz composition, music education, and UX, they apply a multifaceted skill set to various creative and educational endeavors. Mara was a high school music teacher for the last 12 years, and was a touring singer-songwriter in the decade before that.
Outside the chorus, Mara's days are filled with teaching voice and piano, UX Research, arranging music, building tree houses, and front-yard gardening. Mara’s dedication to fostering learning, creativity, and community engagement is foundational to their work and home life. See and hear more at www.maralevi.com.
What keeps you coming back to Chorus?
Coming soon…
More QJC Programming is currently in the planning stages, including:
A Children’s Chorus
A Queer Band (to play with the Chorus?)
Spiritual Healing Circle
*The Queer Joy Chorus grew out of NCMC Pride Chorus members who share a dream to bring more Queer Joy to Western Mass and beyond through partnerships, performances, and mutual aid. The Queer Joy Chorus exists as an example of NCMC’s accomplished incubation of important and timely community programming. In a material demonstration of our support for NCMC’s programming, the QJC will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from performance and merchandise sales to help support other NCMC programming this year in a show of both material and symbolic gratitude.
“A community that not only accepts me at my skill level but celebrates me.”
“The vibe in the room, the knowledge that I can show up how ever I am and folks will be happy to see me, that if I'm not there folks notice and express concern, the music that we pick, Mara's goofy, playful energy, the way this swiftly growing community already cares so much about each other...like clearly there are some folks who know each other better than they know other folks but it doesn't feel clicky which is such a f*cking relief for someone with pretty intense social anxiety.”
“I love how fun and low pressure it is, I love the community atmosphere, and it's an easy way to keep art in my life! I've never been confident singing before and this has been an amazing way to do it more.”