Steve Milloy’s First Year Leading SDGMC Hits All the Right Notes

By Cesar A Reyes

Steve Milloy has spent nearly four decades immersed in the LGBTQ+ choral movement, but stepping into the role of Artistic Director of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus has brought his journey full circle. Long before he took the podium, Milloy had already left his mark on the organization by arranging music for the chorus during Gary Holt’s tenure and later working with the ensemble under Charlie Beale. That early connection planted a seed which grew into a lasting relationship.

“I knew that if the Artistic Director position opened up, I would try out for it,” Milloy recalls.

Now, after completing his first year leading SDGMC, he reflects on a season filled with challenges, growth, and unforgettable moments. With only ten weeks to prepare each of the chorus’ two major summer concerts, the pace was relentless. Yet those performances became defining milestones. The first introduced audiences to the beauty of singing beneath the open sky, while the second transformed UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater into a joyful celebration as the chorus closed with Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” inviting the audience to dance along.

“Never have I felt so much excitement and love as I did that night,” Milloy says. “When everyone is on the same page, singing the same song, living and breathing as one entity, there is nothing like it.”

That sense of unity is what continues to inspire him. Every rehearsal is another opportunity to grow, not only as performers but as a community. It’s a philosophy that extends beyond the concert stage and into every project SDGMC undertakes.

Audiences will experience that spirit in the chorus’ upcoming Summer Nights Cabaret and Chamber Chorale performances. Milloy is eager to showcase the remarkable range of talent within the organization, from singers and instrumentalists to actors, dancers, directors, and writers. The cabaret celebrates that creativity, while the Chamber Chorale offers an adventurous musical journey through classical, jazz, pop, and contemporary works designed to surprise and move listeners.

At the heart of Milloy’s artistic vision is one WORD: Passion.

“I want you to feel like you’ve witnessed something that spoke to you, that told you a story or evoked a feeling,” he says. “Something that makes you come back for more.”

For Milloy, music is also a powerful act of visibility. “We need to be seen and to be heard,” he says. “Sometimes, to live freely can be seen by others as a protest. Maybe that’s what’s needed.”

Learn more about upcoming performances, community outreach, and ways to get involved with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus at www.SDGMC.org.