NEW VOICES, NEW CHOIR
There are new voices in town. Diverse Voices is the new choir of Diverse Harmony. Come join us and sing if you’re 10 to 18 and identify as LGBTQIA+, queer, or BIPOC along with your parents, friends and allies.
Led by professional music educators. Artistic Director Allen Leslie and staff are experienced in the challenges facing queer and BIPOC youth today. Join the queer and BIPOC kids in community and support. Any and all vocal abilities accepted. No experience necessary. Weekly rehearsals on Wednesday 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Briarcrest Elementary School {2715 NE 158th St. Shoreline, WA 98155}.
Become a Member of Diverse Voices
To become a member of Diverse Voices, come to a rehearsal on a Wednesday evening. Then complete one of these membership applications:
New Member Application for Adults and Youth 18+ New Member Application for Youth Under Age 18 Register
Our Story and Evolution
Diverse Harmony was founded in Seattle in 2002 as the nation’s first gay-straight alliance youth chorus. Over the years we saw the choir grow to nearly 60 members and bring performances to communities throughout Seattle in our regular two-concert season. The chorus also performed tours to Denver, Chicago, Montreal, Miami, and Portland in pre-COVID times.
As students “aged out” of the Diverse Harmony core group of ages 13 to 18, Spectrum Choir was established as an acapella choir for ages 19 to 25. Now, we are reforming after two+ years of being dark due to COVID.
We are excited about the future. We are making four major changes.
First, we are modifying our name to Diverse Voices. The new name gives homage to the original choir name of Diverse Harmony and stresses that our community is comprised of many persons.
Second, we are expanding the age group to include youth as young as age 10. We encourage them to be joined by their parents and family. Consistent with our past practice, our age range will top off at age 18.
Third, we are adding BIPOC youth and families to our group. BIPOC youth face challenges of acceptance and inclusion which are not dissimilar to those challenges faced by queer youth. We use our passion and the power of music to inspire all to celebrate the differences in our homes, communities and the world especially in marginalized communities.
Fourth, we are welcoming parents and family members of the youth to join the choir and sing with their children. We create a safe, affirming environment where each person is accepted for who they are.
Diverse Voices will hold rehearsals in Shoreline at the Briarcrest Elementary School and be available for concerts and performances in the greater Puget Sound area.
The Mission
• Our vision is a
world in which differences are celebrated.
• Our common bond
is the love of music and performance arts.
• Our mission is
to create a safe, affirming environment where each person is accepted for who
they are.
• We use our
passion and the power of music to inspire all to celebrate the differences in
our homes, communities and the world.
• We believe that
everyone should be loved for who they are.
Diverse Harmony is a member of GALA Choruses (the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses).
In tandem with our successful performances, Diverse Voices will serve as a safe space for our singers – youth age 10 to 18 who identify as BIPOC, queer, and allies – and their families and friends. Weekly rehearsals will be a home base for many of our youth and their families where they can feel respected and accepted and have fun making music together.
Since our founding, we have realized that the term gay-straight alliance does not encompass our entire chorus family. As of 2014, we are fully supporting our community by identifying as a queer-straight alliance youth chorus.
Queer is used as an umbrella term that supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, asexual, queer, questioning, and other individuals that may not identify with other titles.
No tuition or membership fee is required of singers, and we accept all levels of musical ability. Proof of COVID vaccination and boosters is required.
For more information on the term queer, please visit PFLAG.
PFLAGJoin us. Donate. Participate.
Diverse Harmony
The Choir
Diverse Voices will continue the tradition as a Diverse Harmony choir and perform songs from a wide variety of genres — from contemporary pop to classical to Broadway — through which our members create themed shows or even stage musicals that we perform at the end of each season. Whether they came for the music, the friends, the community, or the snacks, choristers often leave their first rehearsal feeling like they have a new musical family to welcome them every Tuesday night.
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Spring 2023 Registration
LOVE TO SING? We might be just the right place for you! Come join our youth choir established in Shoreline for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth aged 10 through 18 and[…]
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Board of Directors
Meet the Diverse Harmony Board and Staff
Bob Sittig
President
Bob Sittig is the retired administrator of Seattle First Baptist Church. As a result of his association with the church, he has watched…
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Steve Walker
Vice President
Steve Walker is the Vice President of Diverse Harmony. He was formerly the Executive Director of the National Gay Pilots Association and…
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Heidi Toppel
Business Manager
Heidi comes to Diverse Harmony as a Companis volunteer. She is a retired CPA and tax attorney. She serves on the boards of Pro-Choice, WA…
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J. Allen Leslie
Artistic Director
Allen has been teaching Music in the Shoreline School District for twenty-four years, led choirs as a Music Director, and worked for various…
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Armand Leslie
Board Member
Armand , originally from Hawaii, has been a local business owner, AVEDA Institute Director, Dean of Education at Gene Juarez Academies, Director of . . .
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Kasey Jahnke
Board Member
Kasey Jahnke is a practicing marriage and family therapist associate with additional training in advanced sex theory and clinical sexology. . .
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Upcoming Shows
Check back soon, as more performances will be added!
Pictured above – Diverse Harmony travelled to Portland in 2013 to celebrate Pride and do outreach. We assisted in the creation of Portland’s own queer youth chorus, which is called Bridging Voices.
Request a PerformancePostponed – TBD
Concert at Seattle First Baptist Church
June Concert
Time and loaction TBA
Postponed
GALA! Minneapolis. MN
Friends of Diverse Harmony
Seattle First Baptist
SFBC, a Welcoming and Affirming American Baptist Church, has been the home of Diverse Harmony from its inception. The choir utilizes the church’s wonderful facilities for weekly practices and performances. Members of the church are avid artistic and financial supporters of Diverse Harmony.
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Companis
Companis fosters skilled volunteer service by placing dedicated professionals with nonprofit agencies that need staffing assistance. Companis placed Heidi our Business Manager and Judith our Webmaster with us. Companis staff and volunteers are avid artistic and financial supporters of Diverse Harmony.
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ArtsFund
ArtsFund strengthens the community by supporting the arts through leadership, advocacy, and grant making. The Seattle-based nonprofit has been building community through the arts for over 50 years and is one of the nation’s leading United Arts Funds. Diverse Harmony is a grateful recipient of two grants from the ArtsFund: one in 2020 from its COVID-19 Arts Emergency Relief Fund and another in 2021 from the Nonprofit Community Recovery program.
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EMAIL LIST
DH strives to be a safe, judgment-free space where everyone is accepted as exactly who they are, in various places in their own queerness. If you’re interested in joining, please sign up for our email list here!
Sign upREGISTRATION
Diverse Harmony is a space where youth can build community and confidence and experience the healing power of singing in a supportive and lively environment. It’s a space to make long-term friendships while exploring who you are, as exactly who you are.
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There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet.