'We need community': Louisville choir is welcoming space for all
Article by Olivia Cyrus, Louisville Courier Journal
Published June 25, 2026
Hallways in the University of Louisville School of Music might be somewhat devoid of sound during the summer months without the Monday night euphony streaming from room 267, where the choir Voices of Kentuckiana rehearses.
This week, a small 20-person group of the larger 110-person ensemble ran through a less than two-hour-long rehearsal that fired on all cylinders. The group was rehearsing for its Pride Shabbat on Saturday, June 27, slipping into a cappella renditions of “Boys and Girls Like You and Me" and “Pure Imagination” with light piano accompaniment.
At a quarter-past 7 p.m., Kimerchie Lloyd, incoming artistic partner and principal guest conductor, was off. Bespectacled and donning a funky marble scarf, she stepped behind the lid of the piano, quickly flipped through sheet music and began conducting. Her chunky silver rings caught the overhead light as she encouraged her altos to hold an F and her sopranos to “keep it light, keep it light."
Less than an hour later, Mason Rice, incoming artistic and general director of the choir, took Lloyd’s place at the piano, a handoff that mirrors a larger transition underway for the organization.
Voices of Kentuckiana is a nonprofit community choir composed of nearly 110 singers from the Louisville area. The group was founded in 1994 and now performs at least two major concerts annually along with showings at local Pride events, according to the group’s website.
“It’s a safe space for queer people and LGBTQIA people, but also for those who may feel like they are 'other,'” Rice said. “And for people who may feel rejected by society in some way or who believe in the mission of being a safe place or learning how to become a better safe place for people in our community.”
Earlier in June, former associate artistic director Rice was appointed to the role of artistic and general director of the choir, according to a press release. Lloyd, artistic director and current Moritz von Bomhard Endowed Chair of Music at the UofL School of Music, experienced a similar promotion to artistic partner and principal guest conductor.
Guiding Voices of Kentuckiana for decades
In a way, 63-year-old Lloyd has become a linchpin to the organization, passing the baton to 30-year-old Rice.
She’s been with the group since 1995, a year after its founding. At the time, the group was composed primarily of gay men and lesbians that often line-danced and sang together and had aspirations of forming a choir.
Lloyd, a self-described ally of the queer community, was roped in by her now-best friend Beth and says throughout her nearly 30-year career with the group, it continues to be an important space for Louisvillians to be their most authentic selves.
Lloyd said there's even a space for those who are less musically inclined. Membership demands no audition or musical experience, with the group composed of both novices and professional talents ranging from 18-year-old Gen Z members to adults in their late 70s who’ve lived through the AIDS crisis.
The group has also experienced a demographic shift, welcoming more allies and individuals of each sector of queer identity. Every year, the group has seen about 13 new members join, which Rice anticipates to increase in line with a nationwide trend among queer choruses.
“People are coming out of the woodwork to sing in a queer chorus right now because we need community,” Rice said. “Third spaces for LGBTQ+ people are hard to come by, especially ones that don’t involve alcohol. So with a growing sober population in our community, people need a place to feel safe, to feel heard, and that’s exactly what we’re offering.”
He dubbed the tightness members share akin to a church community — an apt and ironic characterization since Rice grew up and started his musical journey in the church.
Although a current finance guy by trade, the Manchester native hangs degrees in vocal music education, choral conducting and collaborative piano on his wall of accomplishments. He picked up the full-time gig to lead the choir to work in line with his belief that “a career in choir is a career in people."
Lloyd came to Louisville from Minneapolis and quickly noticed many of her students remained in the closet. After joining Voices, she began recruiting students to follow suit and be enveloped in the accepting, positive space that the choir offers. Lloyd has worked with the group from 1995 to 2001 and from 2023 to the present day. She has since shaped the trajectory of Voices over several decades and left big shoes for Rice to fill.
“Kimcherie’s artistry, generosity, and commitment to musical excellence have shaped VOICES in powerful ways,” John Hanson, chair of the group's board of directors, wrote in a release. “At the same time, we are thrilled to welcome Mason Rice into the role of executive artistic director. Mason has already brought tremendous energy, skill, and heart to the chorus, and we are excited for the future under his leadership.”
Daniel Douglas Martin, pianist for the group, joined in 2004 at the invitation of a friend. He’s found the choir to be a “welcoming family” that has supported his music skills and livelihood as a freelance musician. Looking ahead, he said he’s excited and energized by Rice’s transition into leadership, calling him a “brilliant choral technician” who brings significant expertise to the role.
Carrying a tune into the future
Rice anticipates building on the already strong foundation Lloyd has laid and increasing the number of collaborations the choir has with other nonprofits in the city, as well as promoting increased ticket sales, donations and membership. This starts with the Pride Shabbat performance, held at The Temple this weekend.
In her new role, Lloyd looks forward to retaining her position on the board of directors and creating a sense of structure behind the artistic work the group does.
“A colleague of mine, when he retired from the university, said, 'You know, I need to kind of let the young people come in and do the thing.' And two years ago, this kiddo walked in, and he’s a terrific musician and terrific person, and suddenly it was like "Oh, I can hand this to this person and it will be in really good hands,” Lloyd said, referring to Rice.