Two Boys Kissing

“Every time two boys kiss, it opens the world a little more.”

Well, this is concert week for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, and we are putting the final touches on our world premier of Two Boys Kissing.

It’s been a long journey. 

You may recall me mentioning this work many months ago.  It’s a commissioned work for our 35th anniversary and it’s based on the young adult novel of the same name. Although the main story line involves two high school boys trying G to set the world record for longest kiss (based on a true story), it’s much more than that. 

Here’s my synopsis:

It’s the story of several young boys embarking on life’s journey, watched and narrated by the gay men who’s lives have already ended.  It’s introspective, heartfelt, ethereal, and poignant.

I don’t know how to describe the piece. It’s chant-like, but also has interesting harmonies.  It’s full of emotion and hope. It has six narrators who tell the backbone of the story as the music becomes the flesh. We are accompanied by a small chamber orchestra.

At first I was not very wild about the piece. It wasn’t what I was anticipating and I felt disappointed.  I wanted rich, dense, lush music to sing, and this piece wasn’t that. But I held off final judgment until the entire product was in place. 

Now I think it will be an event– definitely something that has merit and should be seen.

It’s not dense and lush– it’s delicate. And more about sung emotions around the narrative. It’s wistful and full of longing. And hope. Lots of hope. 

And given recent events, the timing of our concert is either atrocious or important.  Time will tell.