Out Loud Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus will celebrate a historic milestone this spring with its 20th anniversary concert, “The House We Built,” honoring two decades of music, community, and belonging. Performances will take place May 8 and 9.
What began in April 2006 as a small group of voices gathered on the steps of First Congregational Church UCC has grown, over twenty years, into one of the region’s most beloved cultural institutions. Under the direction of Artistic Director Abigail Carcich, Out Loud has become a vibrant 60-voice ensemble and a vital space of safety, affirmation, and joy for LGBTQ+ people across Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region.
Through two decades of social change, political shifts, and tragedy, Out Loud has remained a steady and powerful voice, one that has lifted community, honored loss, and insisted on joy. The chorus has built a home where stories are shared, where voices once silenced are now celebrated, and where song itself becomes an act of belonging.
The 20th anniversary concert will honor that legacy with a program that reaches across the chorus’s history while looking boldly forward. Audiences can expect beloved selections from past seasons alongside music from Wicked, highlights from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, and the world premiere of a newly commissioned piece created especially for this milestone occasion. Two special community songs will bring more than 100 voices together on stage in a powerful celebration of unity and inclusion.
One big fan and participant is Colorado Springs City Councilor Nancy Henjum.
“Twenty years ago, I sat in the pews of First Congregational Church UCC and heard Out Loud sing for the very first time. I remember feeling, even then, that something important was being born in Colorado Springs,” she said. “Today, I sing alongside this chorus in our community songs, and the feeling has only deepened. Out Loud is a living testament to what happens when a community refuses to be silent, and I am profoundly grateful for two decades of their courage, their artistry, and their heart.”
Two decades on, Out Loud continues to serve as a beacon of acceptance and artistry in Colorado Springs, using music to foster connection, build bridges, and inspire audiences across generations. “The House We Built” is both a celebration of how far the chorus has come and an invitation into the next chapter of its story.
Tickets for the May 8 and 9 performances at First United Methodist are available now at outloudcsmc.com/events.
Press release courtesy Out Loud Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus.
