WHO WE ARE

Queer Choir Collective curates non-gendered, intergenerational and re-humanizing singing spaces for queer, trans and agender/gender-expansive individuals of all identities and voice types. Allies/co-conspirators welcome.

QUEER CHOIR

For all humans who love to sing.

Tuesdays, 6-7:30pm at The Hybrid in Eugene

Expand your connection to voice, body, interdependence

and radical queer joy.

1:1 Voice Magic Sessions

Here is the core work of QCC, inviting singers to explore harmony singing on a weekly basis in nine-week cohorts. Build trust and connection, strengthen your vocal skills and create beautiful music in a wholly queered-up choir space (in-person) No audition. No SATB voicing. Open/drop-in rehearsals occur on week 1 and week 7 each season!

RECIPROCITY: Multi-tiered pricing to meet folx where they are. Choose a tier that is in alignment with your your social location, your current economic situation, and offered from a place of abundance, gratitude and ease. NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS - reach out if none of these tiers align for you.

• Standard: $222

• Supported by the collective: $99

• Supporting the collective: $333

• BIPOC / People of the Global Majority: $55

Singing is your birthright. Reclaim it.

Leese offers private sessions at their home studio in Southeast Eugene. Whether you've been singing for years already, or have never sung in front of anyone before, Leese creates loving and patient space for you to work through all the vulnerability, joy, and release that comes with singing.

$65-85 sliding scale

SING WITH US

HOMO PHONIC

Contemporary a cappella for advanced singers.

Rehearsal schedule and location TBD.

This the musical deep dive.

Meeting 1-2 times a month for 3-6 hour intensives, this ensemble is for singers with a strong musical background who want to dig into challenging 5-8 part a cappella arrangements full of dissonance, polyphony and tight juicy harmonies. Singers MUST learn their music outside of scheduled rehearsal times, coming prepared to dig into tuning, dynamics, stylistic nuances and more. Six month commitment required.

RECIPROCITY: $111-555 for six month term (installments welcome). Choose an amount that is in alignment with your your social position, your economic situation, and offered from a place of abundance, gratitude and ease. Black, Indigenous and People of Color/People of the Global Majority encouraged to pay on the lower end of the scale.

RISE Youth A Cappella

Contemporary a cappella for singers ages 11-18.

Mondays, 5-6:30pm at The Hybrid in Eugene

Uplifting the next gen voices!

Introducing our newest vocal ensemble, RISE: an intentionally queer singing space for teens, with a centered aim to cultivate belonging, connection and community for all participants. Students will learn to use singing as a tool for nervous system regulation, freedom of expression, and developing healthy relationships with peers -- all while learning challenging contemporary a cappella music with a social conscience. RISE is a non-gendered, strength-based and trauma-informed program open to singers of all backgrounds. Queer, trans & gender expansive youth of non-dominant ethnic / racial / cultural backgrounds, abilities / learning styles, and other marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply.

RECIPROCITY: RISE is a tuition-free program, funded by the community, as well as a grant from Lane Arts Council. If you are in a position to make a donation on behalf of a singer, please visit our crowdfunding campaign.

Emergent Song Series

Improvised harmony singing for experienced singers.

1st and 3rd Mondays, 7-9pm at The Hybrid in Eugene

Learn to trust your inner voice, the song that is in you!

This is a playful, expressive and intuitive space for discovering music that is emergent and of-the-moment. Bringing their compassionate, authentic and fun-loving style, Leese will lead Vocal River exercises from master improvisation teacher Rhiannon (Alive! / Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra and Gimme5). Open to singers of all ages and backgrounds. Some prior harmony singing experience is recommended, and no improvisation experience required!

RECIPROCITY: This is a drop-in workshop, with a suggested sliding scale of $22-44 for each two-hour improv class.

"Queer like, escaping definition. Queer like some sort of fluidity and limitlessness at once...like a freedom too strange to be conquered...like the fearlessness to imagine what love can look like, and pursue it." - Brandon Wint

OUR TEAM

Leese (Forkish) Olivine: Vocal Director

Queer Choir, Homo Phonic and RISE are directed by Leese Olivine (all pronouns), a genderqueer singer/songwriter, artivist, educator, abolitionist, community-builder, Cancer Sun + Rising, a cappella geek, and veteran choir director. Lisa has deep roots in Eugene, and recently moved back to these unceded Kalapuya lands from Oakland, CA where they spent 10 years as vocal music faculty at Oakland School for the Arts.

Leese is committed to decolonizing the western settler capitalist concept of singing as an exclusive activity only for some, and not the universal truth that it is; a sacred birthright for all. She aims to breathe humanity into the spaces she holds, with vulnerability and compassion. Leese is actively working to heal the wounds of music elitism and not-enoughness through an embodied, trauma-informed and heartful approach. For them, love is paramount, and closeness is the antidote to white supremacist delusion, cisheteropatriarchy and cultural disconnection. Leese believes in singing as a liberatory practice and invites you to join them in using voice and song to create a more just and loving world.

You can learn more about Leese and their work at lisaforkish.com.

“Let me chant my heartʻs wishes for the world and harmonize with others who are courageous enough to make music with their voices." - Pixie Lighthorse

FAQs

Can I join Queer Choir if I don't have prior formal singing experience? Yes! All are welcome. The 9-week choir cohorts will move at a slightly quicker pace than a traditional song circle, but perhaps more spacious and varied in HOW we sing together than you would experience in a traditional western choir. Our rehearsals will include a combination of learning simple songs by ear, learning a more complex arrangement with sheet music, and improvising our own music. There will ALWAYS be practice tracks for the sheet music pieces, so those who exclusively learn by ear can access all QCC offerings.

Will I have to sing by myself in front of others? Not required, however there will be various opportunities to share your solo voice with others if you desire.

What covid safety measures are in place? We will make room for airflow and use air filters as needed. Masks are optional, but may absolutely be worn as needed/desired. We take care of each other, so if you are feeling unwell, or know you've had exposure to COVID or other serious illness, please stay home.

What about other accessibility needs? All of our in-person singing spaces include these accessibility features:

• on public-transit / easy nearby street parking

• wheelchair-accessible entrances

• gender neutral bathrooms

• various seating options for different body types (multiple kinds of chairs, floor seating options, benches, couches, etc.)

What can I expect from the choir cohorts? Our weekly structure is roughly outlined below. We also do a community potluck in lieu of rehearsal on one of the Tuesday evenings!

• opening arrival and mindfulness practice

• vocal warm-ups

• learning short, accessible songs with repeated parts

• work on a piece of music with sheet music

• circle songs / freeing the voice

• closing practice

Can I join a cohort if I'm unable to attend all dates? Yes, you can still join us, but payment is required for the full session, and singers are encouraged to block out all nine Tuesdays in the interest of building a cohesive, connected choir for the duration.

Can I sing with QCC if I'm not queer-identified? Yes, with the caveat that you must be ready and willing to center the queer experience. It's imperative that you feel comfortable in a queer-centered space, have language competency that is trans-inclusive / gender neutral and that you be open and receptive to learning. Here is a great site with resources for allies.

“Being in QCC reminded me that my voice (and by extension me) has its special strengths and deserves to be heard along with others in harmony, or dissonance as it may be. Thank you for that!" - Dan (Eugene, OR)

"Leese's beautiful facilitation of singing circles is nothing short of musical alchemy- they createsspaces that are warm, safe, welcoming, and courageous, melding music and message in deep, meaningful ways." - Angela (Oakland, CA)

“"Queer choir with Leese has been such an incredible experience! The safety and playfulness they create allows me to open my voice and open my heart. Singing with her and this rad group of queer folks lifts me up every week." - Ira (Eugene, OR)

TESTIMONIALS

REACH FOR US

For inquiries, collaborations, or any questions you may have, please send us an email: info@queerchoircollective.com