About Us

Rainbow Women's Chorus (RWC) began in October 1996 as a project of Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus (SVGMC). San Jose didn't have a women's chorus and SVGMC started the ball rolling. RWC first performance was as guests of SVGMC.

Our first director was Lynne McLaughlin, former artistic director of SVGMC. The following January, Ruth Huber, artistic director of Tapestry Singers in Austin, joined RWC as co-director. In 2000, Betsy Wagner joined the Chorus as co-director when Lynn McLaughlin moved to Arizona.

In 2000, RWC and SVGMC were the proud co-hosts of GALA Festival 2000, GALA Choruses' quadrennial festival event, bringing gay and lesbian choruses and their supporters -- over 5000 participants from around the world--to San Jose for eight exciting days of singing, workshops, entertainment, and mutual support. Because of our unbelievable experience with GALA Festival 2000, we have participated in every GALA Festival since, in Montreal in 2004 and Miami in 2008, and we intend to participate in future GALA Festivals.

In 2003, RWC formed a small ensemble, Vocal InFusion (VIF). VIF is an 8-member auditioned group that gives an opportunity for select chorus members to raise their performance up a notch, singing more challenging music.

In 2004, RWC recorded their first CD, Rainbow Women, Comin' Home. This was an "in concert" recording of some of our favorite songs. It also showcases the Festival 2000 recording of Ruth Huber's landmark commissioned piece, Rainbow Bridge, sung with SVGMC.

Throughout the years, we have performed many concerts with various themes, always with a focus on musical excellence, entertainment, and education. Songs with a message of strength and equality and fighting injustice are joined by those with humor, fun, and celebration.

RWC has also put an emphasis on outreach, singing all over the Bay Area, at venues such as San Jose City Hall, Santa Clara County offices, World Aids Day, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose Opera (Lobby holiday performance) Genentech and Oracle Corporations' diversity celebrations, as well as in churches, at festivals, in celebrations, weddings and funerals.

Rainbow Women's Chorus looks forward to bringing many more years of entertainment to its supporters in the community. We enthusiastically invite you to join us, as singers or as audience members.

RWC always wants to hear from our audience about what they would like to see or ways we can make a difference, so please submit your suggestions.