Following an extensive search, we are proud to announce that Steve Milloy joins MenAlive - OCGMC as the Artistic Director.
Renowned domestically and internationally, Milloy comes to MenAlive with multiple decades of experience in all aspects of music. Milloy has coached and directed singers in schools, churches, theatres, and performance stages across the United States. Nowadays he is a much sought-after conductor, clinician, composer, and arranger in the US and abroad.
“On behalf of the Selection Committee and the Board, we welcome Steve to OCGMC and to Southern California. We are elated that he is joining us,” said Mike Auchter, Board Chairman. “Steve brings decades of choral experience, a strong sense of social justice, and a new perspective to MenAlive. His appointment strengthens our relationship with GALA Choruses and enables us to better serve Orange County.”
“It was Rich Cook that introduced me to OCGMC (as an arranger). Who knew that less than two decades later we would have the chance to make music... make art together! I am looking forward to collaborating with my new family,” commented Steve Milloy. “I’ve been a fan of OCGMC since 2016, and the opportunity to be at the helm of these guys makes me giddy. Like Rich Cook and Bob Gunn before me, we will continue to bring quality, side-splitting, heart-stopping, and thought-provoking musical performances.”
“I was an observer when Steve conducted MenAlive for his audition. He commanded the space so well and so inclusively that he made me want to sing with the chorus! He is an excellent teacher and conductor,” said Richard Piatt, OCGMC Executive Director.
Piatt continued, “I am looking forward to collaborating with Steve. He is a dynamic human being with great musical skills and a great passion for using his talent to make the world a better place. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? We use music to create bonds of friendship, facilitate healing, bring joy, and build bridges in our communities. With Steve as Artistic Director, I hope we will be doing just that in many more Orange County communities.”
Milloy received a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Miami University and a Masters of Music in conducting from the University of Cincinnati/College-Conservatory of Music. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and serves on the board of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses.
With a connection to Southern California’s LGBTQ community that spans multiple years, Milloy has arranged pieces for the chorus going back to the times of our founder, Rich Cook. Milloy composed the masterful piece Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream which has been performed all over the country including a local tour in LA and Riverside counties presented by our friends at South Coast Chorale.
Milloy will join us for our 2022-23 season with this first concert being Merry and Bright: Tinseltown performed on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Complete details on MenAlive’s newest season will be released in the coming weeks.
Images: Photographer Paul Nixdorf