It’s a frigid Tuesday evening and inside an old stone church in the heart of the Elmwood Village, Garrett Martin gathers his sheet music and readies his baton.
On this night he will lead an eclectic group of 70 men through a rigorous rehearsal.
Martin, a transplant who arrived here from Tennessee by way of Austin, Texas in 2013, is the artistic director of the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus. He is preparing his charges for a May concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of the founding of the BGMC.
Though he has embraced his work with the chorus, it wasn’t what drew him to the Queen City.
“I was actually recruited to come here and take a position as the organist and director of music ministries for Westminster Presbyterian Church (in Buffalo),” he explained. “I’ve held church jobs since I was 13 years old, and I love the work I do.”
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Aside from a trip to Niagara Falls, Martin, 30, had never been to Western New York when he accepted the position at Westminster. Snowfall aside, he says he fell in love with the city.
“I was immediately struck by Buffalo’s love for the arts, both in music and theater,” he said. “From Kleinhans to the art galleries to the churches with their long histories of outstanding music, all of that really showed me the important role the arts play in the cultural fabric of the city.”
The cultural scene includes the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, which Martin joined as a singer in 2013.
“Unfortunately, due to job commitments, I only sang with the chorus for one semester,” he said.
But he maintained contact with members of the men’s chorus and built on the friendships he had established. In 2015, Martin was asked to return and serve as the chorus’ interim artistic director.
“Within a few months that morphed into me being named the permanent artistic director of the group,” he said.
Today he leads the BGMC as they conduct a series of three concerts at Christmas and three spring concerts. From music selection to leading months of rehearsals, Martin says he strives to bring the best performances possible to the BGMC’s loyal following.
“I think if we are going to be part of this incredible cultural scene here, we need to produce the highest quality choral music and we work hard to accomplish that,” he said.
The work of Martin and his singers hasn’t gone unnoticed. The group recently received a $25,000 grant from the Cullen Foundation, money Martin says will be used, in part, to commission new works to perform.
When it comes to the performances, Martin says given BGMC’s platform, his work extends beyond the music.
“I think there also has to be a message,” he explained. “We may have thought we were past some of these social hurdles, but we are seeing, especially in these times, we need to deliver a strong message more than ever.”
That message, Martin says, is one of hope, encouragement, and inclusion for every member of the LGBT community.
“We have the opportunity through our music-making to show that love is stronger than hate, and the unity of our chorus helps demonstrate that in the community.”
