About

Founded in 1997. Reflecting a legacy that dates back to 1979.

Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles is Chicago’s premier family of performance groups for members and friends of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. Home to four major ensembles – Jazz Orchestra, Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Pops Ensemble – plus over a dozen chamber ensembles, the organization offers a diverse musical experience for both its audience and its members.

Through an annual series of performances and special events, Lakeside Pride provides a forum for adult musicians, inclusive of any background, ethnicity, gender identification or sexual orientation, to represent the LGBTQ community and express themselves through music.

Lakeside Pride is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All ensemble members, conductors and the Board of Directors are volunteers, sharing their time, talent, and love of music. The operating budget comes from ticket sales, small government grants, and the generosity of individuals.


Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles is an inductee into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and a founding member of the Pride Bands Alliance. See our additional partnerships below:


Pride Bands Alliance
The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame
Center on Halsted
Logan Center Community Arts
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VanderCook College of Music logo with treble clef outlined in white on a black square

Ensembles

Learn more about our four major ensembles as well as our many chamber ensembles.

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Leadership

Meet the Board of Directors and Artistic Directors of Lakeside Pride.

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History

Take a trip back in time to see everything Lakeside Pride has accomplished in more than two decades.

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Awards

Honoring those who have gone above and beyond to make Lakeside Pride a vibrant, thriving community.

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our mission

To empower an affirming LGBTQ and ally community by engaging audiences and inspiring change through music.

our commitment to Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Lakeside Pride is committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority in everything we do, including empowering new leaders in our ensembles and board, selecting a music repertoire that highlights an array of perspectives, and creating a welcoming environment for members and audiences.

We acknowledge past shortcomings in addressing these issues, and reaffirm our goal to be the standard-bearer for diversity, equity, and inclusion, extending to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, veteran status, physical ability, and cognitive ability within the LGBTQ and ally community. Lakeside Pride recognizes the ongoing struggle towards true equity, and actively listens, learns, and retools our organization in this shared journey.

our core values

The members of Lakeside Pride believe the following principles represent the diverse culture and values of the organization. Whenever members of the organization, artistic leadership team, or the Board of Directors take action or make decisions, such actions must not be contrary to these goals and values.

We value and actively promote:


Code of Conduct


Bylaws

Our success depends on mutual respect and people who are capable of working together.

The Lakeside Pride Bylaws guide these interactions. They define:

  • Composition of the Board of Directors and how it will function;
  • Roles and duties of directors and officers;
  • Rules and procedures for holding meetings, electing directors, and appointing officers;
  • Conflict of interest policies and procedures; and
  • Other essential association governance matters.

Read the Lakeside Pride Bylaws (PDF)


Join Us

Learn how you can join one of our ensembles by clicking here.