Since Heather McDowell joined Auckland's Gay and Lesbian Singers, from the schmaltzy to the serious, from the camp to the cute, from the frivolous to the fun, she's sung it all. “I joined the Gay and Lesbian Singers almost twelve years ago now," she recalls. A friend of mine was in it, and she knew that I enjoyed singing and invited me to come along. I'd sung when I was younger in Church groups and things like that, but not in any sort of organised choirs or anything like that." Like most group activities, choir singing forges bonds of friendship and common experience. "People were so friendly and welcoming; it felt like a nice group to be part of… I enjoyed it so just kept going. There's a really solid group of around forty of us now, with quite a few who've been there a long time." Choirs from around the world whgo have sung with GALS, such as the huge Seattle Mens Chorus, have noted the closeness and skills of GALS members like Heather who have been together for many years. "We've met other singing groups from around the world and they all say that's one of the strengths of GALS – that people have been there a long time. When you've been part of a group for a while, people get to know each other really well. You get familiar with singing with the same people, and have some knowledge of how the voices fit together. It makes it easier for everybody." But perfect harmonies and tight melodies don't come easy... there's a commitment toregular rehearsing behind GALS performances. "We rehearse every Tuesday at Pitt Street Methodist Church from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Then about once every month on a Sunday we have a rehearsal from 2pm until 5pm. Then there's two concerts a year. We've got one coming up this weekend!" GALS also has a social element to it, something that Heather appreciates greatly. "After Sunday rehearsal we often go to Kamo café for a drink. We have a choir camp every year, where we go away for a whole weekend, with pretty intensive rehearsals and workshops. We even had a ‘Camp Quest' there for a few years, with people getting up and doing items. Last year we had something different where we took one of the songs from the GALS repertoire and people wrote different words to the music – we had a go at singing those, and people voted on which one they liked the best." GALS has also travelled to the Gay Games, and earlier this year went to Melbourne as part of a gathering of Australasian gay and lesbian choirs. "We've done that a few times," says Heather, "it's just fantastic to have those kinds of opportunities. Plus in the last couple of years we've had the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Singers visit to have a concert here. The Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus did the same, and in the past we've sung with the Seattle Men's Choir when they've been out here. So you get to have all these interesting and enjoyable links with people." Heather's partner, Margaret, was GALS Musical Director from 1998-2000 and is now Musical Director Emeritus. (The current Musical Director is Stephen Bowness) The pair have been partners for nine years now. "It's interesting that within the choir there are a number of relationships – some have lasted and some haven't, but that's what happen with social groups! Also, a number of people in GALS have partners who perhaps don't sing in the choir, but help out in other ways, like looking after front of house at a concert – so they've become like the extended family of the group." After almost twelve years of full-on commitment to GALS does Heather tire of it? "If I ever felt ‘ho hum', like it's the ‘more of the same' and boring, I might rethink my involvement, but each concert is very different. Often we'll do music with a little twist in it, to make it ‘gay and lesbian relevant'. It might mean changing the gender in the lyrics, or it might be just the fact that the women sing it instead of the men, or vice-versa. That's great, because you get such a good response from the audience." Perhaps its the group's collective sense of humour that eases tensions and staves off enui. "I really enjoy the humour at GALS. Lots of ‘bent' humour, and it's great being in an environment where being lesbian or gay is the culture – rather than a minority... with me, it very much feels like it's a link with our community. We're lucky enough to be invited to sing at various occasions and events in people's lives. The latest of GALS highly popular concerts is this afternoon, and Heather describes the show with enthusiasm. "We'll be singing a song from each decade of the 20th Century, starting with 1910 and working our way through. So there's a real range of music. ‘Teddy Bear's Picnic' is one of our earlier ones – with our particular slant to it! Some of the ‘schmaltzy' stuff, and some of the more jazzy numbers are included. There's a medley of songs from during the war years. And we will be doing Bohemian Rhapsody – it's a special version of that song." Something for everyone? "I think it's the kind of concert where most people will recognise quite a few of the tunes… there will be lots of toe tapping along with us!” Twentieth Century GALS: 5.30pm, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 2007 Centennial Theatre, Auckland Grammar School, Mountain Road. Tickets from Womens Bookshop, Ponsonby Road: $20. Door sales: $25. Related Link: http://www.gaynz.com/community/gals GayNZ.com - 21st June 2007