The ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir is the longest-running feminist choir in the United States, founded in 1975 by Catherine Roma, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

History

Catherine Roma formed the Anna Crusis Women's Choir in 1975 after moving to Philadelphia to teach music at

Abington Friends School Abington Friends School is an independent Quaker school in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a Jenkintown postal address. Serving students from age 3 to grade 12, Abington Friends School has stood on its or ...

. She was its artistic director from 1975 to 1983. Under her leadership, the choir often made decisions through a process similar to Quaker consensus, in which all members had a voice. ANNA Crusis has an educational and social focus. It has supported

LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...

issues and has performed with other groups at events such as International Women's Day and Philly Pride. The choir traditionally includes a sign language interpreter at its concerts. Jane Hulting was musical director of the choir from 1983 to 2005. Hulting took a sabbatical year in 2003 during which Jacqueline Coren was interim director. She took over upon Hulting's departure in 2005, acting as musical director until 2011. Miriam Davidson became director in 2012.

Awards Received

* 1988,

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization working "to bring together women of different political views and philosophical and religious backgrounds determined to study and make kno ...

local awards; main awards to poet Sonia Sanchez and singer-songwriter

Holly Near Holly Near (born June 6, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, teacher, and activist. Family Holly Near was born in Ukiah, California, United States, and was raised on a ranch in Potter Valley, California. She has two sisters, Ti ...

. * 2014,

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

Award, jointly to The Philadelphia Singers, Sister Singers GirlChoir, and Anna Crusis Women's Choir, to fund "Women Aloud: Celebrating Women in Music" concert, March 2016.

References

External links

Anna Crusis Women's Choir
official website {{authority control 1975 establishments in Pennsylvania Choirs in Pennsylvania LGBTQ choruses in the United States Feminist organizations in the United States Musical groups established in 1975 Women's choirs History of women in Pennsylvania