San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Presents ALL WE NEED IS LOVE With The SF Symphony, June 18

On June 18, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) presents All We Need is Love, a concert tribute to love songs.

Led by Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg, the SFGMC will showcase their full musical range by performing classical works like Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs,” San Francisco composer David Conte’s “Elegy for Matthew,” and a new commission for chorus and orchestra by Dominick DiOrio. The program also features contemporary selections including “True Colors,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Cut to the Feeling.”

The concert marks SFGMC’s third annual concert with the San Francisco Symphony since 2022, building on the success of two sold-out engagements. The SFGMC has collaborated with the Symphony several times since making their Symphony debut in 1995, including performing most recently on the Orchestra’s annual Holiday Gaiety concert in December. 

Founded in 1978, the SFGMC sparked a nationwide LGBTQ choral movement after its first public performance at a vigil on the steps of City Hall following the assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Since then, the SFGMC has been embedded in the fabric of San Francisco. It has soothed souls in pain, lifted spirits in triumph, and has remained a steadfast beacon of hope. 
 
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Chris Verdugo and Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg, the SFGMC has established a heightened level of performance standards bringing renewed audience and choral industry acclaim. Recent tours, recordings, and outreach programs have broadened its impact and reputation in the community while maintaining its signature blend of humor, personality, and groundbreaking performances. In 2019 the SFGMC acquired a historic facility that has become its permanent home for rehearsals and offices. The building also serves as the Chan National Queer Arts Center, the first-ever community space for LGBTQ artists and arts organizations. 
 
Jacob Stensberg recently completed his inaugural season as the new conductor and artistic director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and the recently opened Chan National Queer Arts Center. As conductor, Mr. Stensberg has led the Chorus in sold-out performances with the San Francisco Symphony and brought them to perform in world-class venues like the Green Music Center (Sonoma) and Zellerbach Hall (as part of the Cal Performances series). The Chorus’s recent purchase and renovation of their building, the Chan National Queer Arts Center, has allowed the Chorus to expand their programming. Mr. Stensberg has produced and conducted numerous cabarets, community sing-alongs, and spoken word series since the building was inaugurated in December 2023. Following their engagement with the San Francisco Symphony, Mr. Stensberg will lead SFGMC in a tour of the Midwest, with stops in Omaha, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines, followed by the keynote performance at the GALA Choral Festival in Minneapolis this summer. 
 
Prior to his appointment with the SFGMC, he was the assistant director for Purdue Musical Organizations at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. While at Purdue, Mr. Stensberg worked with more than 300 students in eight different ensembles, performing in annual traditions like the Purdue Christmas Show, as well as writing and performing custom music for special events like NASA’s 50th anniversary of the moon landing in 2019. In addition to his work at Purdue, Mr. Stensberg enjoyed working with Butler University choirs and orchestras, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Circle City Chamber Choir, Booth Tarkington Civic Theater, Zach&Zack Productions, BOBDIREX, Eclectic Pond Theatre Company, and Civic Theater of Lafayette. 
 
Mr. Stensberg received his formal and formative training from Kristina Boerger at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. He earned his master’s degree in conducting from Butler University where he studied with Eric Stark.
 
Tickets for concerts at Davies Symphony Hall can be purchased via sfsymphony.org or by calling the San Francisco Symphony Box Office at 415.864.6000. Davies Symphony Hall is located at 201 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. 
 
Davies Symphony Hall is currently operating at full audience capacity. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking are no longer required for entry to Davies Symphony Hall. However, patrons are encouraged to wear masks and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations to protect themselves. These policies are subject to change. Visit sfsymphony.org/safety  for the San Francisco Symphony’s complete up-to-date health and safety protocols. 

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