Artistic Director

Originally trained as an organist, Dr Charles Beale studied music at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, England, where he conducted the chapel choir, and he later studied jazz at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he won the Rose Morris Prize as a composer and jazz pianist. Career highlights before his move to New York have included several national radio broadcasts in the U.K. as a classical pianist, a jazz organ concerto with the U.K.’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra, West End theater work, and he has collected playing and arranging credits on albums and singles by pop and dance artists including Whitney Houston and Adeva. Professor at the Royal College of Music in London from 1999-2007, with specialisms in arranging, aural training, jazz piano, directing big bands and improvised music, he has written many academic articles and toured extensively, adjudicating, examining, and doing jazz workshops and seminars for teachers in the U.K., the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. His first choral singing book, OUP’s Popular Voiceworks, won the UK Music Retailers Association prize for Best Pop Music Publication in 2008.

Dr. Beale joined the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus as Artistic Director in September 2007 after five years directing the London Gay Men’s Chorus. With Executive Director Peter Criswell, he has been central to NYCGMC’s artistic and financial renewal.  Dr. Beale’s time with NYCGMC has so far been characterized by renewed energy and sense of community within the group, a confident open sound, fund-raising success, profit-making shows, a more relaxed and interactive style with audiences, a younger and more diverse membership and a campaigning vision. Innovative and diverse programming has included everything from Beyonce to Benjamin Britten, from Broadway show favorites to South African songs educating people about HIV and AIDs. As part of NYCGMC’s Connect program, in May and June 2009 alone, the chorus did over 25 smaller performances, sang in every borough in the city and took part in a number of Marriage Equality benefits, including Defying Inequality at the Gershwin Theatre.

Having directed choirs for over 20 years as part of a broader musical career, choral directing is now gradually replacing jazz as his main focus. An active member of the Association of British Choral Directors and ACDA, he gives frequent clinics on improvising and swing with choirs. In 2011-12, upcoming engagements include a choral clinic on singing pop, soul and jazz with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte and a conducting masterclass to degree and masters students at Brunel University in the UK. He also has a major leadership role at GALA Festival Denver 2012, directing NYCGMC’s acclaimed HIV show Accentuate the Positive and the massed choir Big Gay Sing Denver. He will also be conductor of London’s Big Gay Sing in July 2012 in Trafalgar Square, as part of the Cultural Festival of the London 2012 Olympics.

Dr. Beale is currently at the final edits stage of a second Voiceworks book from Oxford University Press due out in Summer 2012, and commutes to London as often as he can to be with Yuwrajh, his partner of 20 years.

Executive Director

Peter Criswell assumed the position of Executive Director of Big Apple Performing Arts (the umbrella management organization for the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and Youth Pride Chorus) in March 2009 and is responsible for all management aspects of the organization including strategic planning, budgeting, fund raising, public relations, marketing, programs, personnel and Board relations.

Peter is an executive manager who brings with him over 20 years of experience in non-profit organizations and in the arts. This ‘can do’ kind of guy has significant experience with arts management, education, travel, tourism and events as well as with startups, organizations in transition, and entrepreneurial ventures. Peter has served as an Interim Executive Director for several nonprofit organizations, shepherding them through transitions in programs and leadership. Most recently, he was Interim President for the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership. He has held leadership positions with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Bard College Department of Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, Historic Philadelphia Inc. and Hudson River Heritage. He also owned and managed a seasonal performing group, The Mistletones, for 11 years. He has managed and produced large scale educational travel programs in the U.S. and abroad with such organizations as Royal Caribbean International and Windsor Mountain International. Having worked in 31 countries on six continents, Peter has created effective structures for tracking and following through on multiple complex international projects. Peter has been a full-time teacher and has conducted leadership training workshops at Bard College and New York University.

Peter holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Strategic Management with a focus in Nonprofit Administration from Manhattanville College. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Bard College and a BFA (Bachelor of Fun Arts) from the renowned Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Clowns without Borders and the Board of Governors for the Bard College Alumni Association. Peter has been a singing member of NYCGMC for ten years. Prior to that, he sang with the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus for five years and the Seattle Men’s Chorus for six years holding volunteer leadership positions within those organizations.

Development Associate

Celeste Leibowitz began as a Development Consultant with Youth Pride Chorus in October 2009, and stepped into the Development Associate position with BAPA in August 2010. Celeste has worked in fund raising since 1986 with extensive experience in youth development organizations such as The Hetrick-Martin Institute, Inwood House, and New York Youth at Risk. She holds a Certificate in Fund Raising from New York University, a J.D. from SUNY at Buffalo Law School, and a B.A. in Anthropology and Political Science from New York University. In her free time Celeste reads genre fiction and volunteers with Hetrick-Martin, PFLAGNY, and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. She is Board Secretary of the Brooklyn Humanist Community.

Accompanist

A pianist graduate of Columbia University and Mannes College of Music, our pianist Aaron Dai began studying piano at the age of 5 and went on to win the UNICEF Youth Concerts Competition three times by the age of 15. He has concertized around the country, performing in New York venues such as CAMI Hall, Steinway Hall, and Symphony Space, and cities such as Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, and San Francisco. Mr. Dai has studied with Rachael Perez-Hayes, Denise Kahn, and Hugo Goldenzweig. Other studies include Russian piano performance with Inessa Zaretsky (Mannes), and accompaniment and collaborative piano with Marshall Williamson (Juilliard).

Sign Language Interpreter

Tom McGillis is thrilled to be celebrating 23 years with the NYCGMC this season! His other artistic signing credits included Forever Plaid at the Papermill Playhouse, Christmas Revels at Symphony Space, and several productions with Very Special Arts Theatre Company and the George Street Playhouse. Mr. McGillis has voice-interpreted signed productions including Progress at Hudson Guild Theatre and Handstone Productions’ Anna and Danilo. He studied artistic interpretation at The Julliard School. He is a dedicated advocate for individuals with disabilities, heading up efforts for access under the Americans with Disabilities Act in employment, education, and the arts, and serves on several business advisory boards. He has presented workshops for GALA Choruses, addressing interpreting issues for choral performances. By day, Mr. McGillis is vice president of human resources for Ipsos North America, a provider of customized business and market research and analysis.