Singing Out Las Cruces’s Greatest Hits!
Thank you to Singing Out Las Cruces for sharing their June 2026 Concert Script telling their 15-year journey. [Script has been edited for content and space.]
2026 marked 15 years of music making and community building for Singing Out Las Cruces! This year we looked back on the history of SOLC and celebrated this organization’s resilience and the vital role it has plays within the LGBTQ+ community of Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico.
Whether our patrons have been with us since the beginning or are joining us for the 1st time, this year’s milestone season included spectacular music, cherished reunions, and a heartfelt tribute to the community that has supported us for the last decade and a half. This season we honored the past and sang out boldly into the future!
Singing Out Las Cruces is proud to be New Mexico’s first and currently only mixed voice LGBTQ+ and ally choir. We are a non-profit organization that is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and respectful spaces where everyone can make and enjoy music together. There are so many things that make this choir a one-of-a-kind group. We are a non-audition choir, we accept people at all levels of musical ability, and we are intergenerational; having had members in the past as young as 8 and current members singing out loud and strong well into their 80’s. Our differences make us stronger, and this is part of the reason why Singing Out Las Cruces, despite bumps along the way, is still here going strong 15 years later!
Our entire organization, singers, board, and artistic team feel immense privilege to have been a part of the LGBTQIA+ community and larger Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico Arts Community over these past 15 years. We want to thank all our Patrons and supporters for being a part of getting us here.
The founding of Singing Out was prompted by charter members Sharon Culver and Vicki Hughes, who moved from Colorado to Las Cruces and yearned for an LGBTQ+ choir community like the one they had to leave behind in Colorado. They, along with a dedicated group of individuals, came together as singers, board members, and 5th section volunteers to bring Singing Out, as it was called then, into existence.
In 2011, under the artistic direction of Dr. Ruth Hanlin, Singing Out stood together and had its first concert “We Are All One.” The second song performed at our June 2026 concert, “Stand Together,” was first performed by Singing Out at the 2013 concert, “Joyful Sounds.” It exemplifies the role Singing Out Las Cruces and its members have played in serving our community. To stand together, not only as a choir, but alongside our fellow LGBTQ+ community members and organizations. At this concert we were honored to continue the legacy of our charter members that started us on this great journey by taking a moment to recognize all charter members of SOLC who were there with us. We invited charter members on stage or in the audience to stand to be recognized or step forward to the stage to receive a special pin to symbolize our immense appreciation. We are so grateful to all who played a part in the founding of this great organization. They have left a lasting mark on not only Singing Out and the LGBTQIA+ Community but also the larger Las Cruces Arts community.
Just as the world around us changes, so has Singing Out. Over the course of 15 years, singers have come and gone, and the choir has been under the direction of multiple Artistic Directors including Robby Randall, Ida Holguin, and now our incredible, Irene Brink. We have had the joy of making music with different Accompanists and Collaborative pianists like Mark Klett, Barry Shaw, Marco Antonio Jimenez, and Dr. Seth Zamora. There have also been numerous Board members dedicated to helping this group survive and thrive.
This constant change is the nature of any community group. Life brings changes in priorities, jobs, living situations, relationships…the list goes on and on, and through those changes people have naturally moved in and out of SOLC’s orbit. Life is a continuum of people and events, and our humanity insists that we connect with one another, that we share parts of ourselves and carry parts of others with us as we move on.
Every person who has been a part of SOLC has played a role in shaping their fellow members and the organization as a whole. With a special selection from our December 2014 concert, we remembered those who are no longer with us. Especially, Jerome Kele Acadimia, Carol Buschick, Marlene Diaz, Taylor Edmonson, Bob Oesterreich, and Victor Santana-Melgoza . They have journeyed beyond where we can yet follow. For them we sang, Omnia Sol.
Just like our members' varied taste in music, SOLC has moved through a variety of themes including music of multiple styles and genres with a particular fondness for those showcasing the many facets of queer life. Themes of history, protest, and resistance, have been common and unfortunately sometimes more necessary during these past 15 years. But always, amongst the resistance is the hope, the unity, and the joy too.
Three very joyful genres of music have stood out among our many years of concerts, and those are Pop Divas, Disco, and Broadway Musicals. Patron and singer favorites included our gender bending, “Broadway Backwards” concert in 2013, our costumed 2014 “Rockin’ in the 80s,” concert, and the infamously titled “Disco, Madonna, and Cher, Oh My!” concert of 2019. SOLC has always had a flair for everything camp!
One of the resounding ideas for this past season was the desire for singers to not just be on stage helping make memories, but for them to be able to celebrate and enjoy revisiting the memories of the last 15 years alongside our audience. Our singers put their all into making these events an incredible celebration, and we wanted them to feel celebrated in a way they don’t usually get to experience. So, to our audience, and our beautiful singers, we presented a video trip down memory lane with special messages from past accompanists, guest performers, and former singers.
Singing Out is a community unto itself but throughout the years, SOLC has been an active participant in the larger LGBTQ+ community of Las Cruces as well. Our group has tabled and performed at events such as Las Cruces Pride, in Rainbow Hub community events, PFLAG dinners, NMSU Lavender Graduation Ceremonies, and Drag shows.
Our organization has hosted free events for the public like Musical Bingo during pride week and more recently has started holding free Gender-Affirming Vocal Workshops to support our trans/gender fluid/and non-binary siblings as they navigate changes in their voice. We have stood alongside our fellows for the fun and the celebrations, and for the moments where our community needed to unite for strength like the Women’s March, or to find comfort in each other, like the vigil in remembrance of those we lost at the Pulse Nightclub in 2016.
Singing Out is more than just a choir, it is a community, a family full of people who love singing but love each other even more. Our members continually show up for the group and each other.
Singing Out Las Cruces has a rich and varied history. With so many people involved in the organization, and leadership roles changing over time, it is not always easy to keep track of every shift or fluctuation in its evolution. One of the biggest ongoing projects our Media Manager, Liz has taken on for Singing Out is building our archives. As we have gone through the many photos, documents, board meeting notes, etc., we have been able to gain a deeper understanding of how Singing Out has taken shape over the years. While the organization we all know and love, today, is fiercely queer and proud, singing with a focus on community and acceptance, that was not always the case.
This group has grappled with the all-too-common occurrence of internalized homophobia, and wildly differing perspectives on how “gay” the group should be. The intergenerational nature of Singing Out brought with it, members, whose experiences in the world drastically differed from one another; not only within their own LGBTQ+ journeys but also how they were viewed and treated by those around them. Difficult moments needed to be worked through together, such as when SOLC had its 2015 concert, “Queers Through the Years,” and older members understandably struggled to accept the younger generation’s reclaiming of a word that had so deeply hurt them in the past. Similar discussions were needed again in 2023, when Liz Brink designed our new logos and the plus sign was added to LGBTQ.
Along with these questions of LGBTQ+ identity within the group, musically SOLC has oscillated between a focus on academic or traditional choral music, and music that is more modern, accessible, and meaningful to the times and the diversity of our membership. All these struggles that Singing Out was dealing with internally were being mirrored in the larger world. When Irene took over as Artistic Director in 2016, she saw first-hand some very specific shifts within the organization. Irene can recall the absolute high felt by the group after the landmark 2015 supreme court case, Obergerfell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage and propelled SOLC to perform for the first time in Denver at the GALA Choruses festival in July of 2016.
Those joyous moments were followed soon after by the gut-wrenching results of the 2016 presidential election. Despite the ups and downs of the world around them, the group had built its place within the community and blossomed into its queerness in a way that meant it could not shrink back into the shadows.
In the history of Singing Out, there has perhaps been no greater time of immense pressure, as when we, and the entire world, closed down and changed forever because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools and businesses closed, people got sick, and the world pivoted, Singing Out Las Cruces was confronted with an impossible question: How do we make music together when we can’t be in the same room? How do we continue when the very nature of what we do depends on us being close, and breathing excessively around each other? How do we go on when us singing together puts everyone around us at risk? From March of 2020 to June 2022 SOLC did not return to the physical stage. For a period of time the group tried virtual rehearsals and get-togethers. And there was at least some comfort and community despite the distance. We recorded songs virtually for our YouTube Channel. Liz inadvertently learned every voice part of every song as she spent hours editing the virtual performances together. But then, the pandemic worsened, and like so many, we turned our energies away from art and community and towards survival, the organization went dormant. At the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic it was unclear whether Singing Out Las Cruces would ever perform again. This period for Singing Out Las Cruces, and the world, was a tumultuous one. Eventually restrictions lightened, then tightened, then lightened again. Everyone was relearning how to be together, everyone was frightened, and no one knew what the future held. New members joined the Singing Out Board and gave of themselves bravely. And on September 28th, 2021, Singing Out Las Cruces had its first in person rehearsal again; outside on the steps of the Plaza de Las Cruces, masked, and distanced but together. In June of 2022 SOLC returned to the stage with their concert “Better Together.” The choir was small, with an extremely small board, and the artistic team volunteered their time and expertise. Everyone there was committed to making sure, no matter what, that Singing Out Las Cruces survived.
To protect everyone involved, the first season back together lasted almost a year before the concert was able to take place. But the joy that the singers and our audience felt when we were able to make music together again made every meeting, decision, and sacrifice worth it. Breathing life back into Singing Out Las Cruces was truly a labor of love and took the right people, at the right time, choosing the artform, the organization, and each other. It was the most difficult thing this group has ever done, but once the group found their momentum, Singing Out was back! The next concert, “Songs Full of Heart,” in February of 2023, included the “Lover’s in a Dangerous Time.”
Singing Out wasn’t the only organization that struggled during the pandemic. Nonprofits, especially LGBTQ+ organizations were hit hard and not all of them survived. This means that every LBGTQ+ organization, every safe space that we have in this community is so very important.
We mentioned earlier how Singing Out Las Cruces is an intergenerational community Choir. Over the years the organization has brought together singers at every stage of life: Teenagers finding their footings as individuals, young adults attending or graduating from college, starting their first serious job, couples of all ages getting married or ending relationships, parents, grandparents, professionals, and retirees. Everyone in this group has life experiences that those around them can learn from or be inspired by. It is a privilege to see young people within the queer community learn from their elders, from those that lived their history, and to watch those young people see that they have a future and can live happy and fulfilling lives. And by the same token to watch the elders heal, as they see our younger members live their lives fully with pride and self-acceptance. The intergenerational nature of our group means that we as an organization, as a community, get to share in the joy of music that speaks to the queer experience in every generation.
Singing Out Las Cruces is always trying to grow and evolve as an organization, to bring new and engaging events and experiences to our community. We proudly announced at our June 2026 concert the theme for both of our 16th year (2027) concerts. Looking ahead to January 2027, this concert is very much in honor of our intergenerational community that we love so much. Singing Out Las Cruces’ first concert of its 16th year of music making will be, “Driving through the Decades!” This concert will showcase selections of music from the 1950s through to the 2000s. We invite you to join us on a road trip through the decades as we: turn on the radio, play our cassettes, flip through our 50-pound CD cases and stream our favorite songs. Rehearsals for “Driving through the Decades” are set to begin on August 18th, 2026, with concerts in early 2027!
For our June 2027 concert, Singing Out will be performing a piece of Choral Theatre that will blend selections performed by the Singing Out Las Cruces choir with a theatrical performance written exclusively for this concert. We are excited for this new chapter for Singing Out and for our patrons, and the Las Cruces community to join us for what will surely be an unforgettable experience.
Singing in a choir is complex. Everyone has a different voice, a different personality, lives, schedules, concerns, traumas, all of that has to work together and all on top of performing the vulnerable act of singing in front of others. For us the one true way to do Choir successfully is through cultivating acceptance and prioritizing enjoyment. The membership, the leadership, we are all still growing. Over these 15 years of SOLC, despite hard times, two things have always been in abundance; joy and acceptance. The fun and laughter shared at rehearsals and social gatherings, our silly Jam Sessions, filming fun things for social media, and the friendships forged all speak to the power and the healing that comes from being able to be yourself free from judgement.
Over the years there have been times when SOLC was ahead of its time. The fact that Singing Out Las Cruces is a mixed voice choir is not only unique within New Mexico, but around the nation. Most queer or allied choirs in the US are historically delineated by gender. This is something that many such choirs are now having to reckon with, as they realize this delineation serves the binary and ignores transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming folx. Many of our fellow queer choirs include “Men’s” or “Women’s” in their names, have long standing traditions of highly gendered uniforms, and often only sing music for a narrow grouping of voices. Thankfully, SOLC has never had this issue and all people, regardless of gender identity and voice, are welcome. Similarly, Singing Out Las Cruces has also always been a non-auditioned choir. Taking away the stipulations of music reading, choral experience, and auditions allows all our members to join without fear of judgement and feel welcomed and appreciated for who they are, not simply because of their musical abilities.
Something Irene has discovered during her time as a music educator and choral director is that so many people, particularly adults, have trauma around their voices and singing. Many have experienced being told that singing isn’t for them, were berated by music teachers or family members for not sounding “right,” or were never empowered to trust their voices. One of Irene’s biggest goals as Artistic Director has been to help make a space that can help heal these traumas. Meeting singers where they are musically, guiding them to grow, and reminding them that while accurate pitches and rhythms are ideal, we as a group, above all, are tasked with expressing ourselves.
Irene and all SOLC leadership strive to create a safe space for singers to be vulnerable and let their true colors shine through in every rehearsal and performance.
If you love singing, whether you’ve sung in choirs before, or just in the shower, whether you can read music or not, we hope you consider becoming a member of our choir family. There are no auditions. We do our best to meet every singer where they are at and make music accessible to everyone. Rehearsals for our next season will start on Tuesday, August 18th from 6:30-8:30pm at First Christian Church.
If singing isn’t your forte, please consider becoming a 5th section volunteer. These volunteers are essential to our organization. You can also take part in our organization by attending the growing number of community events we are hosting, many of which are free to the public. During our upcoming season you will be able to take part in our Pride week event, come to our next free gender-affirming vocal workshop, or do a trial run of the choir with our community pop up concert where you can come hang out for a couple hours to learn one song and perform it with us. Make sure to visit our website or follow us on social media for more information about those events as they happen.
We are so grateful to everyone who was able to be with us as we celebrated this amazing organization, Singing Out Las Cruces! This organization means so much to its membership, the leadership, and it has left a lasting mark on the community of Las Cruces. We are people of many ages and backgrounds from all walks of life who share a common goal. We lean on each other and lift each other up both vocally and otherwise. We learn together, laugh together, cry together, and sing together. And the beauty of our song, that we sing for you, is a reflection of the beauty of our community, our fellows, our friends, our Chosen Family! To those that were able to join us at the June 2026 concerts or those of you reading this article today, we thank you and hope you will be part of what we do in the future.
The best of Singing Out Las Cruces is yet to come!