Darin DeWeese named new artistic director of Out Loud Chorus

Ann Arbor – Out Loud Chorus (OLC) is excited to announce Darin DeWeese as the chorus’s next Artistic Director for Out Loud’s 25th season effective Aug. 1.

A Michigan native, DeWeese grew up in the historic and picturesque town of Marshall, Michigan. With an immense love for choral music, DeWeese followed his passion for singing to Michigan State University where he completed his Bachelor’s in Music Education. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Choral Conducting from MSU.

“I am ecstatic to direct the Out Loud Chorus family and share my love for choral music with this fabulous group,” stated DeWeese. “I am very much looking forward to a busy and fulfilling 25th season, and sharing our music on a national stage in July!”

DeWeese will direct OLC for the 2019-2020 season culminating in a performance at the GALA Festival 2020 in Minneapolis. OLC will perform a half hour set at the quadrennial event comprised of more than 150 North American LGBTQ+ choruses in July. OLC last performed at GALA Festival in 2004.

Most recently having served as the Director of Vocal Music at Tecumseh High School where he taught for seven years, DeWeese’s THS choirs performed both locally and regionally, and received numerous awards including being selected to perform at the prestigious Michigan Youth Arts Festival in 2017.

As a singer, DeWeese has performed at major venues in the United States and abroad including Carnegie Hall, The Detroit Opera House, the American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Miami, and has performed contracts with Celebrity Cruises. DeWeese currently sings on staff at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills and just completed a residency at the University of Exeter in Exeter, England this past July. “I believe Darin’s energy, enthusiasm and leadership is the spark that will most certainly lead Out Loud Chorus to a successful showing at GALA in July of 2020,” per OLC President Annie Withers.

Out Loud Chorus is a non-auditioned, LGBTQ+ community chorus in Washtenaw County founded in 1995. OLC is sponsored in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. New Member Nights are September 16 & 23 from 7-9:30 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor. For more information on attending a concert or joining, please visit us at olconline.org. If you would like more information about this topic, please contact us at 734.265.0740 or outloudchorus@gmail.com.