The Galakoor was founded in September 2013 by conductor Yt Nicolai and singer Laurens Runderkamp as the first classical choir in the Netherlands with an LGBTI-related identity. Over the years, the choir has grown into a highly regarded and high–quality performing group with a social commitment. The original name ‘GALA’ stood for Gay And Lesbian Amsterdam. In 2022, this was changed to the more inclusive name Galakoor Queer Klassiek (GQK).
The choir offers a safe and inclusive space where queer identity and a passion for singing come together, striving for high musical quality with a focus on diversity, curiosity, connection, and collaboration. The repertoire consists of both classical and contemporary works, ranging from large oratorios to more intimate pieces. Over the years, Galakoor has successfully worked with various conductors, including Yt Nicolai, Joke Geraets, Joost van Velzen, and André Cruz. The choir has a large and loyal following. Our concerts are almost always sold out.
The Gala Choir has now given numerous concerts and has an impressive list of works to its credit. Its debut concert was Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion, performed in March 2014 at the Dominicuskerk in Amsterdam and in Deventer, in collaboration with VocaMe and Concerto Armonico.
In the years that followed, works from the established oratorio repertoire were performed. These included Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem and Francis Poulenc’s Gloria, in collaboration with the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra Con Brio, and Georg Friedrich Händel’s Messiah. Later, Johannes Brahms‘ Ein Deutsches Requiem and Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio followed.
In 2016, Galakoor commissioned Bernard van Beurden to compose Via Dolorosa: the last work he would ever compose. This was followed by Humanity is an Ocean, a composition by Helen Ostafew, and Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. In this way, Galakoor also established its name in the field of modern music.
In 2023, after COVID-19 and the name change to Galakoor Queer Klassiek (GQK), we sang with renewed energy on the theme of Freedom, and the tenth anniversary was celebrated in style in 2024 with the concert Give Thanks and a heartfelt expression of gratitude. Since 2024, Nathan Tax has been at the helm as our new conductor. He challenges the choir members in sound exploration and expressive freedom, with a focus on vocal health and expression, in addition to striving for technical perfection.
The concert Fool me Twice is planned for September 2025, in which Galakoor is delighted to join in the 750th anniversary celebrations of our beloved city of Amsterdam. We look forward to the future, to collaborating with many partners within and outside the rainbow community, and to performing more beautiful existing choral repertoire and new compositions to expand the canon of queer choral music!