The New Mexico Women’s Chorus started as the dream child of a small
group of women who joined together to sing and have fun in the fall of
1993.  In February 1994, the New Mexico Gay Men’s chorus put out an
invitation to any women interested in starting a women’s chorus to come
to the NMGMC  season-opening dinner and open rehearsal.  From that
first meeting came a strong commitment to the development of a women’
s chorus in New Mexico.  NMWC joined with NMGMC under the umbrella
of Turquoise Trail Performing Arts.  
 NMWC became a member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of  
Choruses in April of 1995. They made their first appearance on the
international GALA Festival scene in July of 2000, with an ensemble of
seven members. This past summer the entire chorus brought the voice of
New   Mexico women in all their diversity to the Montreal stage.
Performing on the main stage, at the Women’s Concert, and in an
interfaith service. It has been a long journey from that first group of six
Founding Mothers, one of whom, Peggy Roberts, remains a member of
the chorus, to the twenty-four singers you see here before you today.
During that journey, in addition to at least two seasonal concerts per
year, NMWC has stopped to perform for the United Nations Association,
the Coalition for Equality, the Unitarian Church, the First Congregational
Church, Zia Rodeo, Breast Cancer Vigil, World AIDS Day Memorials, the
Breast Exam Project, and Pride Celebrations. To celebrate the end of the
first eleven years, NMWC had a second appearance with singer-
songwriter-activist Holly Near on June 5th, 2005!  In December, 2006,
NMWC also had the opportunity to share the stage with Jamie Anderson,
a rare talent, for the third time in its history.  In addition, NMWC has a
strong commitment to breast cancer eradication, performing Diane
Benjamin's "Where I Live: A Breast Cancer Oratorio" as a benefit concert
for a local foundation in the spring of 2003.  In that same vein, NMWC
"opened" with portions of the Oratorio for Lucie Blue Tremblay on
August 20th, 2006 as she tours North America on her Breast Self Exam
project.  
We have traveled within New Mexico from Albuquerque, to Santa Fe and
to Las Cruces to honor our mission of providing enjoyable
opportunities for women to create music together.  The Chorus achieves
this by striving to enhance our artistic expression, developing a
performance-ready repertoire, and performing culturally diverse and
socially conscious music while honoring women-authored and feminist
music. As members of the group we welcome women of all experience
levels and sexual orientations. Our chorus is non-auditioned, and
everyone finds a place for expression. This marks the beginning of the
fourteenth year, and the beginning of many more musical moments. Why
don’t you come and make some memories with us?
Then
Now
Our Herstory