The Chorus is pleased to welcome its interim accompanist, Mark Brennan. Originally from Syracuse, NY, Mark majored in music at SUNY Geneseo, and then earned a full scholarship and assistantship to Texas Christian University for graduate school, where he received his Masters degree in Piano Performance. After winning a prestigious scholarship, he continued his education at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He is currently a collaborative pianist at Nazareth College and Brighton High School, and also works as a freelance accompanist, church musician, and piano instructor.

A long-time supporter of the RGMC, Dick has lived in the Rochester area since 1972. He has worked at the University of Rochester Medical Center for 20 years and is now on the Biology Faculty at Monroe Community College. He has also served as peer facilitator, board member and Board Treasurer for the GAGV, working on their Annual Picnic almost every year since 1990. In addition, Dick has supported AIDS Rochester and the ImageOut Film Festival. He looks forward to continuing his service to the community by service on the RGMC Board.

A Rochester area resident since 2002, Michael joined RGMC as a singing member in 2005. With a strong passion for music and love of life, his positive energy and dedication has reflected throughout the organization. Having served as the First Tenor section leader, involvement on various committees within RGMC, Publicity Director for RGMC from 2006-2008, as well as having served on the Board of Directors as Secretary, Michael brings an extensive history of business and public relations; stemming from his humble retail beginnings at the age of 16, as well as writing and editing articles for his local high school newspaper. A graduate of Finger Lakes Community College with an AAS in Business Administration, he currently is employed full-time in the Customer Service division of a local contact lens manufacturer, as well as working with RGMC in Advertising Sales.

Catherine J. Hardesty "Cat" is a Nationally Certified Interpreter for the Deaf who joined RGMC as the Artistic Interpreter in 1999. She is a freelance Community Interpreter, but her favorite venue is music, especially with RGMC. She lives in Greece with her Life Partner, Robert Slater. Her son Christian and his wife Amber live in Columbus, Ohio where they are both practicing attorneys.

Jim joined the Chorus during the summer of 1998 as its part-time office manager, bringing with him over 17 years of bookkeeping and office management experience. A SUNY Brockport graduate, Jim earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management while working for Tops Markets, where he is still employed full time. Among his many activities, Jim is responsible for the day-to-day financial activity of the Chorus, as well as handling customer inquiries.

Jad is very proud to be joining RGMC as its new Porduction Manager. He has been a part of numerous choruses, including Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus. But his main pastime is theatre. Jad is part of the newly-formed board of TheatreROCs, a Celebration of Rochester Theatre, and is serving as Assistant Director for the TheatreROC's Autumn 2009 Showcase. Jad recently appeared in The Full Monty for Irondequoit Theatre Guild, and Barefoot in the Park for JCC CenterStage. Jad has also been part of Off-Monroe Players, Rochester's Gilbert & Sullivan Company since 1996, having been president, acted, produced, and directed numerous shows, including The Sorcerer, HMS Pinafore, Patience, Utopia Limited, A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol, and Cery Truly Yours, Gilbert & Sullivan as part of Geva Theatre Centers TheatreFest. Thanks go out to his fiance Ben.

Peter Brasidas Nickles - a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Syracuse College of Law moved to Rochester in 1998 and considers it the best move ever in his life. Peter found his partner James Lewis, an artist and has lived in this wonderful city ever since. Peter has also come out of retirement. Although he no longer practices law, he does labor arbitration and labor contracts for 13 unions including the City of Rochester for AFSCME Council 66. The second love of his life, after his partner and two children, is playing at piano bars. Peter started out at the legendary Marie's Crisis in Greenwich Village and has worked locally at Tara's and Riff's in Rochester, New York.

John Owen has been a singing member of the Rochester Gay Men's Chorus for 25 of its 26 years. He is a second tenor. John is a retired Associate Professor from Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. He still teaches adjunct classes at MCC in the area of Media History. John is single and lives alone in a big old Victorian house in Rochester's South Wedge. His hobbies include travel, travel and travel. John tries to make two major trips out of the country each year. His most recent forays have been to Ireland and New Zealand.

Todd is a SUNY Albany graduate with a BS in Music. He joined RGMC in 1995, and has served as the baritone Section Leader numerous times, has served as Chorine Concerns Liaison, and currently conducts the Cosmopolitans. Todd is serving his second year as a board member-at-large. Involved with his neighborhood association as a board member for 6 years, Todd also serves as the Conservation Liaison to the NET office of the City of Rochester.

A member of the Rochester community for thirty-two years, Ed is an Associate Professor of Music at RIT. He teaches courses in music theory and music history, and until last spring served as Director of RIT Choral Activities. He is also Minister of Music at First Unitarian Church in Rochester where he is the organist, directs the Adult Choir and the Bronze Handbell Ringers. A founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (UUMN), he has served as the organization's national president. Most recently, he has been a member of the UUMN's Leadership Development Board, creating a professional credentialing program for musicians in the denomination. Schell is also a member and past Dean of the Rochester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is currently serving as the NY State Repertoire and Standards Chair for Men's Choruses for the American Choral Directors Association. Ed lives with his dog Sara in West Irondequoit.

Dr. Robert Strauss is thrilled to be joining the Rochester Gay Mens Chorus as Artistic Director. He brings to the chorus experience not only as a conductor, but also stage director, voice teacher, and performer. He has conducted choirs at Radford University in Virginia, the Nardin Academy in Buffalo, and the church choirs of Christiansburg Church of the Brethren (Virginia), St. Paul Lutheran Church (Morgantown, West Virginia), and most recently Trinity Episcopal Church in Buffalo. Strauss currently serves on the voice faculty of Nazareth College, where he is also director of the Opera Workshop, and the Eastman Community Music School, having also served on the faculties at SUNY Fredonia and the University at Buffalo. He holds degrees from SUNY Fredonia, UNC-Greensboro, and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from West Virginia University.