Created in 1994, Mélo’Men is the gay and gay friendly low voice choir of Paris, France, that sings all musical styles. Comprising forty-five singers, we regularly work with other choirs (in France and beyond), ensembles and orchestras to bring our communities’ talents to audiences young and old.
Our mission are:
1) to promote a repertoire of male voice singing, mixing classical and variety. We also support artistic creation by commissioning original pieces from contemporary artists. The latest such works are « Les Cordes Tendues », a piece for male voice choir and symphony orchestra by Pierre-Henri Dutron (2015) and « Kaléidoscope », a piece for make voice choir and piano by Florestan Labourdette (2019)
2) to combat discrimination in all its forms, by participating in events across the LGBT+ communities, such as the Local Elected Officials against AIDS charity, the Voices Against AIDS concerts, supporting the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and Paris Pride. Melo’men is a member of the Paris-Ile de France LGBTQI Centre and the Inter)LGBT, and works regularly with various LGBT+ associations. Melo’Men is also a founding member of the Collective Archives LGBTQI project in Paris, created in 2017;
3) to balance both a high level of musical quality with a fun, social atmosphere. In addition to weekly rehearsals, we rehearse once a month and regular drinks and other social occasions are held.
Melo’Men participates in international festivals, such as Various Voices, the European LGBTQI choir festival, and appears with other choirs from around the world regularly. Finally, when our audiences see us in concerts, or pass us by during an open-air appearance, we contribute to the visibility of our communities.”
Various Voices is a wonderful opportunity for us to meet other choirs and ensembles, see them perform, and show them what we can do! It’s a chance to catch up with old friends, make new ones, and build relationships across the continent which lead to cultural and musical projects.
